SAN FRANCISCO – Fresh off its upset of No. 13 Sonoma State the previous night, the San Francisco State women's volleyball team continued its winning ways on Saturday with a four-set triumph over Humboldt State (20-25, 25-15, 25-16, 25-15) in the Main Gymnasium.
After dropping the opening frame, the Gators captured the final three sets in convincing fashion en route to their fourth straight victory, improving to 11-2 on the season and 4-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Meanwhile with the loss, the Lumberjacks slip to 6-7 overall and 2-3 in league action.
SF State once again shared the wealth on offense as three players reached the double-digit plateau in kills, led by senior Beth Perkins (Woodland, Calif., Woodland Christian HS, Mt. Hood CC) who knocked down a match-high 16 on the evening. Also aiding the Gator cause were freshman Lauren Walsh (Coto de Caza, Calif., Tesoro HS)(12 kills), sophomores Halimah Oswald (San Francisco, Calif., Waldorf HS) (10 kills) and Robyn Hall (Hayward, Calif., Bishop O'Dowd HS, Univ. of Portland) (8 kills, .400 attack pct.), as well as freshman Iris Tolenada (Antioch, Calif., Deer Valley HS), who recorded her team-leading ninth double-double of the year with 48 assists and 10 digs.
The two sides slugged it out early in the first set, which featured six ties and three lead changes. HSU went ahead to stay after a kill by Oceana Matsubu broke a 9-9 deadlock and then widened the margin to 17-12 following three straight kills and an SF State attack error. The home team was able to narrow the gap to 22-20, but could draw no closer as the Jacks captured the set after a kill and two additional Gator miscues.
HSU jumped out to a 3-0 advantage in set number two; however, the momentum swung in SF State's favor shortly thereafter as three consecutive kills by Perkins ignited a 10-2 run. The Gators were never challenged the rest of the way, eventually building a 21-15 cushion. SF State then closed out the frame with kills by Oswald and Walsh, followed by a pair of Mackenzie Pike (Monrovia, Calif., Monrovia HS, Citrus College) service aces.
The pesky Lumberjacks hung around early in the third set before the Gators asserted themselves with a 13-4 outburst, turning a 9-7 deficit into a comfortable 20-13 lead. SF State got the rally going with three straight kills from Perkins, Walsh and Kyle Lamet (Benicia, Calif., Carondelet HS), while receiving charity from HSU in the form of a bad set and two attack errors.
The Gators erased all doubt in the fourth stanza, limiting the Jacks to a -.100 attack percentage on 4-of-30 hitting with seven errors. SF State unleashed a 15-2 flurry to open the set and then cruised the rest of the way.
The Gators will embark on their first road trip to Southern California next weekend when they square off against Cal State Dominguez Hills (Sept. 25) and Cal State L.A. (Sept. 26) on consecutive nights. Starting time for both matches is 7 p.m.
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