Box Score

SAN FRANCISCO – Kelly Ostello posted a .364 attack percentage and launched a match-high 18 kills as the San Francisco State women's volleyball team scored an important 3-0 victory over UC San Diego (27-25, 25-18, 25-22) Saturday in a California Collegiate Athletic Association showdown at The Swamp.

With the victory, the Gators (12-4, 7-2 CCAA) defeated the perennially powerful Tritons for the third time in the last four years on their home floor and now find themselves a half-game out of first place behind Cal State San Bernardino in the conference standings.

In addition to Ostello's production, SF State received 10 kills from Meagan Wright, while Jazmine Williams (.381) contributed a season-best nine put-aways to along with four total blocks. Not to be outdone, Melissa Horton provided a key spark off the bench with a season-high eight kills of her own, while Iris Tolenada racked up the fifth double-double in her last six outings and ninth of the year after recording 43 assists and 12 digs.  Also crucial to the Gator win was Megan Johnson, who scooped up a match-best 19 digs and served up three aces.

On the flip side, UCSD (11-5, 6-2 CCAA) was led by Danielle Dahle, who hit .464 on the night and finished with 15 kills, while Amber Hawthorne also doubled up on the stat sheet with 23 assists and 12 digs.

Despite trailing in blocks (8.5-5.0) and digs (65-57), SF State maintained a 50-32 advantage in kills and a 7-1 spread in aces, while outhitting the Tritons .197-.159 in a defensive battle.

The Gators seemed poised to pull away in the opening frame after building a pair of six-point leads, including a 19-13 spread on an Ostello put-away.  However, two blocks and pair of kills each by Dahle and Sophie Rowe highlighted an 11-4 surge that vaulted UCSD in front, 24-23.  Moments later, Johnson and Horton responded with kills sandwiched around an SF State attack error, knotting the score at 25-25.  The Tritons then returned the favor with an attack gone awry, while Johnson served up an ace to provide the clinching point and allow the Purple and Gold to escape.

Buoyed by their good fortune, the Gators posted their best hitting percentage of the night in the second stanza (.297), blasting 15 kills on 37 swings with just two errors, while limiting the Tritons to just nine put-aways.  SF State never trailed in the set, fashioning a 19-13 lead it would not surrender following another Johnson ace and a Horton kill.

The Purple and Gold found itself on the wrong side of an 11-5 score early in the third frame when put-aways by Wright and Ostello served as bookends to a timely 8-2 outburst that tied the score at 13-13.  UCSD threatened to give itself some breathing room moments later when Hawthorne floored a shot to give the visitors a slim 19-17 advantage.  However, the Gators answered with a 4-1 spurt to take the lead for the first time in the set, 21-20, following kills by Horton and Wright, a Clark ace and a Triton attack error.  The two teams traded put-aways on the ensuing four serves before Horton launched a kill to put SF State in the driver's seat at 24-22.  A UCSD timeout proved to be in vain, though, as the Tritons promptly committed an attack error, which snapped their six-match winning streak in abrupt fashion.
 
The Gators continue their homestand next weekend, Oct.12-13, when they tackle Humboldt State and Cal Poly Pomona on successive nights.  First serve for both matches is scheduled for 7 p.m.