Junior Kazmiera Imrie |
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Junior Kazmiera Imrie combined for 24 kills and a .435 hitting percentage in two matches while senior Jayme Wright combined for 19 kills as the Sacramento State volleyball team opened its season by splitting two matches at the Sam Houston State Invitational Friday at Johnson Coliseum.The Hornets lost to Illinois-Chicago, 3-0 (30-26, 31-29, 30-24) before coming back later in the day to easily defeat Texas A&M Corpus Christi, 3-0 (30-16, 30-13, 30-17). The match against Texas A&M Corpus Christi was completed in just one hour, 15 minutes.
In the afternoon match against the Islanders, Imrie led all players with 13 kills, including a .440 hitting percentage (13-2-25), two service aces and two blocks. Sacramento State hit .242 for the match while limiting Texas A&M Corpus Christi to just a .017 mark. The Hornets held a 48-23 advantage in kills and a 66-48 advantage in digs.
In just the second start of her collegiate career, sophomore Sandra Bandimere finished with seven kills and a .353 hitting percentage. Senior Trina Book added six kills, her highest total since joining the Hornets prior to the 2001 season. Junior Lisa Beauchene finished with five kills, 25 assists and 11 digs while Wright notched a match-high 16 digs.
In the Hornets’ first match of the day, Sacramento State combined to hit just .100 as Illinois-Chicago swept the Hornets in three games. The Flames were led by three players who finished with double-doubles comprising Lara Clarkson (match-high 16 kills and 23 digs), Lindsey Filkins (13 kills, 21 digs) and Teaha Shepperd (10 kills, 11 digs).
Sacramento State hit just .037, .096 and .167, in games one through three, respectively. Wright led the Hornets with 13 kills, while adding 12 digs. Imrie finished with 11 kills and a match-high .429 hitting percentage (11-2-21), and junior Lisa Beauchene recorded seven kills, 29 assists and nine digs. In her first match as a Hornet, freshman Shannon Arts paced the team with four blocks.
Illinois-Chicago led the Hornets in virtually every statistical category including kills (57-40), assists (55-36), digs (85-68) and hitting percentage (.188-.100).
The Hornets return to action tomorrow (Saturday, Aug. 31) as they play twice in the final day of the tournament against Birmingham-Southern (Noon PDT) and host Sam Houston State (5 p.m. PDT).
Notes: In the match against Texas A&M Corpus Christi, junior Ali Mathewson received the first start of her career...sophomore Emily Wilson did not make the trip because of a sprained foot.
