Rohnert Park, Calif.---- In their first two matches since the 2003 season, the SF State Gators' volleyball team went 1-1 in Day One of the Seawolf Spike Tournament in Rohnert Park on the campus of Sonoma State University. The Gators lost their first match to regional opponent, Northwest Nazarene University (0-1), 3-0. They came back in their second match to defeat another regional opponent, Seattle Pacific (1-1), 3-2.
In set one of their first match, the Gators were up 8-6 on a combined block by Beth Perkins and Sloane Williams. Northwest Nazarene tied the match at 9-9, but the Gators came back to take a 15-13 lead. The set went back and forth with SF State's last lead coming at 19-18. Northwest Nazarene took the lead back and never let up in a hard four first set.
The second set went the same way back and forth with the largest lead by either team being three points. SF State was one point from winning the set, but the Crusaders scored five of the next six points to take the set 27-25. In game three, Northwest Nazarene took a 6-0 lead and never looked back as the Crusaders held on for a 25-16 win to win the match three sets to none.
Brittany Powell had eight of the Gators' 32 kills while Mary Maiocco recorded 22 assists. As a team, the Gators had four total team blocks. Northwest Nazarene, who finished last season 18-9 and tied for third in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, was led by Cammy Dranginis had 11 kills and five total blocks. The Gators scores against Northwest Nazarene were 25-23, 27-25, and 25-16.
"Overall, today was a great first experience for SF State volleybal," said SF State Coach Michelle Patton. "We played a tough Northwest Nazarene and although we had our opportunities, we just coud not piece together a full game," added Patton. "The players did a great job of regrouping and came more prepared to compete against Seattle Pacific," noted the first-year Head Coach Patton. "To come from behind this early in the year is a great experience to have under our belts." "The ups and down of the match, our girls stayed focused and determined and I am very proud of how they responded when the pressure was was on," noted Patton. "To win in five games, focuesed and determined and I am very proud how they responded when the pressure was was on."
Then this afternoon against Seattle Pacific, who finished 15-11 last season, the Gators won in five sets (25-17, 22-25, 10-25, 25-13, and 15-12) to even their record at 1-1.
In their first set against the Falcons, SF State took a 9-5 lead capped by a Christine Johnson ace. The Gators then never gave up the lead as they held for a 25-17 victory. Seattle Pacific came back and took sets two and three (22-25, 10-25). SF State tied the match at two sets a piece, when they won set four 25-13. In that set, the Gators were tied with Seattle Pacific 7-7 but scored the next six points and held to send the match into a fifth and deciding set.
Both teams went back and forth in the last set with the Falcons taking a 11-9 lead, but the Gators had four kills in a row three by Powell and one by Kelly Burke to take a 13-11 lead. Match point was served by the Falcons and Maiocco and Halimah Oswald combined to block and record the Gators' first win of 2008.
Oswald had a .562 hitting percentage with 11 kills while Powell had 12 kills for a .409 hitting percentage. Maiocco had 43 assists and Perkins and Johnson each recorded two service aces.
SF State will return to action to tomorrow in Rohnert Park at 9am against Montana State-Billings and at 2pm against Notre Dame de Namur. For complete results of the Seawolf Spike Tournament, please click here http://www.sonomaseawolves.com/sports/2008/6/18/WVBALL_0618082439.aspx?path=wvball.
Box Score vs. Northwest Nazarene
Box Score vs. Seattle Pacific
