SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco State women's volleyball team scored undoubtedly its biggest victory since the program was revived in 2008, holding on for a dramatic five-set win (26-24, 28-26, 22-25, 15-25, 15-13) over 13
th-ranked Sonoma State Friday evening in the Main Gymnasium.
The Gators emerged triumphant in their second straight five-set match of the week, improving to 10-2 overall and 3-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, while the Seawolves suffered their first loss of the season, falling to 11-1 and 3-1 in conference play.
“It was a complete team effort tonight and an awesome win for our program,” said SF State head coach Michelle Patton. “Competing against great teams is the highlight of this conference and our players responded exceptionally well in the fifth game. They prepared like a great team this week and I'm proud their hard work.”
SF State had four players with double-digit kills, led by senior
Beth Perkins (Woodland, Calif., Woodland Christian HS, Mt. Hood CC) who hit .295 for the night with 21 kills on a season-high 61 attempts and just three errors. The Gators also got significant contributions from sophomore
Halimah Oswald (San Francisco, Calif., Waldorf HS) (13 kills, two block solos, two block assists), fellow classmate
Kyle Lamet (Benicia, Calif., Carondelet HS )(11 kills, 21 digs) and freshman
Lauren Walsh (Coto de Caza, Calif., Tesoro HS) (10 kills). Not to be outdone, freshman
Iris Tolenada (Antioch, Calif., Deer Valley HS) dished out a season-best 57 assists and added 13 digs, while junior transfer
Mackenzie Pike (Monrovia, Calif., Monrovia HS, Citrus College) posted a match-high 23 digs of her own.
The two teams witnessed 29 ties and 14 lead changes in the epic contest, with the Gators producing some late heroics in the first set to grab the early momentum. Trailing 22-17, SF State went on a 5-1 run to pull within 23-22, highlighted by three consecutive Perkins kills. A kill by Allyson Sather put the Seawolves in position to capture the set; however, two consecutive attack errors knotted the score at 24-24, giving the Gators new life. The Gators promptly took advantage of their good fortune as Perkins and sophomore
Robyn Hall (Hayward, Calif., Bishop O'Dowd HS, Univ. of Portland) registered back-to-back kills to close out the frame.
Despite chasing SSU throughout set number two, SF State managed to keep the score close and eventually took the lead at 24-22 following a Lamet kill. Moments later, the Seawolves seemingly put themselves in the driver's seat at 25-24 as the Gators committed three straight attack errors. However, SF State responded with another late 4-1 run to escape with the set, punctuated by a Walsh kill and an SSU attack error.
The third set featured 10 ties and six lead changes as neither side enjoyed more than a three-point advantage. SF State held a slim 22-21 edge until the Seawolves quickly turned the tables with four straight points on two kills and two Gator attack errors to stave off a sweep.
With new life, SSU was all business in the fourth stanza, outhitting the Gators by a .342-.077 margin. The Seawolves broke a 4-4 tie with a 16-5 flurry, building a comfortable 20-9 cushion to take the set going away.
In the decisive fifth set, SF State took an early 8-4 lead, courtesy of back-to-back kills by Oswald and Lamet and a service ace by freshman
Riley Cutner (Irvine, Calif., University HS) SSU would not go quietly, eventually tying the score at 11-11 after an Ali Walker kill and a Lindsay Brown service ace. However, Brown committed an error on her very next serve, while Perkins knocked down a kill to put the Gators ahead to stay at 13-11. The Seawolves closed to within 14-13 following a kill by Marianne Fox, but Kelsey Dall's ensuing service error finally put an end to the drama, giving SF State the huge upset.
The Gators will have little time to savor their victory as they welcome CCAA rival Humboldt State to the Main Gym on Saturday to close out their two-match homestand. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
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