Box Score
SEASIDE – The SF State Gators volleyball team started the 2013 season with a 3-0 win over the Cal Baptist in their first match at the Otter Classic in Seaside, Calif., this afternoon. The Gators won 25-15, 25-23, and 26-24 with Melissa Horton's double-double of 11 kills and 15 digs leading the way.
"It was great to get on the court and get the season started with a win," said SF State first-year head coach Jill Muhe. "The team played well and executed our game plan."
The Gators came out on fire in the first set scoring five of the first six points as Horton had three of her match-high four service aces.
Cal Baptist rallied back to tie the match at 8-8, but the Gators took the lead back at 11-9 on a kill by Jazmine Williams and never looked back as they won the first set 25-15, capped by a Meagan Wright kill off of one of Jacquie Brice's 31 assists.
The second set was evenly played with each team holding no more than a two-point advantage until the Gators took the lead for good on a Jaclyn Clark kill, 23-22, as they held on for the 25-23 victory.
In the final set, it was the Lancers coming out on fire after the 10 minute break as they took a 7-3 led by Malika O'Brien with two of her 11 kills. SF State closed the deficit to 9-8 on a kill by Clark, but Cal Baptist scored 5 of the next 6 points to take a 14-9 lead.
SF State rallied back and tied the set at 22-22 on a Jessica Nicerio ace, but O'Brien's kill gave the Lancers back the lead 23-22.
On the next serve, Cal Baptist had a service error to tie the set at 23-23. O'Brien had another kill to give the Lancers back the lead, their last of the match as the Gators scored the final three points of the match capped by Wright's 8th kill of the math to give SF State the 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 26-24) victory.
Wright finished the match with three total blocks to go along with her eight kills and Nicerio had a team-high 18 digs.
Kim McCalmont led the way for Cal Baptist with 13 kills and 13 digs.
SF State will return to the court at 5pm this evening, when the Gators face Academy of Art in their second match of the Otter Classic. The Urban Knights lost 3-1 earlier in the day to Saint Martin's.
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