TURLOCK, Calif. – The San Francisco State women's volleyball team employed a balanced offense on Saturday, notching its first conference win of the 2011 campaign with a 3-0 road victory (25-23, 25-20, 25-14) over Cal State Stanislaus at Fitzpatrick Arena.
The Gators snapped a four-match losing streak in the process, raising their record to 5-5 overall and 1-4 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, while the Warriors dip to 6-2 on the year and 2-2 in league play.
Lauren Walsh knocked down a season-high 13 kills to lead SF State and matched her career best with a sparkling .524 hitting percentage, while
Halimah Oswald (.471) reached the double-digit kill plateau for the sixth time this year with 10 put-aways of her own. The Gators also got valuable production from
Megan Johnson (9 kills) and
Kelly Ostello (7 kills), while
Sarah Kurfess anchored the defense with a match-high 16 digs. Not to be outdone,
Iris Tolenada recorded her third consecutive double-double after finishing with 35 assists and 12 scoops.
As a team, SF State outhit CSUS .280 to .202, including an impressive .405 clip in the third set. Despite eight service errors, the Purple and Gold maintained a 47-33 advantage in kills and a 5-4 edge in total blocks.
The Gators jumped out to a 13-9 lead in the opening set following an Oswald kill, only to see the Warriors battle back with an 11-4 blitz, capped by a Kayla Giles non-returnable. Suddenly facing a 20-17 deficit, SF State kept its composure and closed with a strong 8-3 run as an Ostello kill provided the clinching point.
The two teams battled through five ties in set number two until the Gators vaulted in front to stay at 15-12 on a
Jazmine Williams kill and two straight Oswald put-aways. CSUS pulled to within one on two occasions, including a 17-16 spread following an errant SF State serve. However, the Purple and Gold successfully kept the host school at a bay as back-to-back Walsh kills sparked another timely 8-4 run to finish off the frame.
With momentum on their side, the Gators shifted into overdrive in the third stanza as five kills and a solo block from Walsh helped the visitors stake a commanding 22-10 lead. Tolenada and Johnson also contributed to the cause with three put-aways apiece during the set, propelling SF State its fourth sweep of the season.
The Warriors were paced by Lianne Vicchio, who tied Walsh for match-high honors with 13 kills, while Andrea Fett added 13 digs in the defeat.
The Gators return home for a pair of CCAA matches next weekend, Sept. 23-24, when they tackle Cal State Monterey Bay and Cal State East Bay on successive nights. First serve for both contests is slated for 7 p.m.
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