Issue date: 9/6/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Christopher Neuschafer The Hornets huddle during a timeout in the final game against San Jose in Saturday's match.

Media Credit: Christopher Neuschafer Senior setter Rose Burke setting the ball to Brittany Ferguson for a kill.

Media Credit: Christopher Neuschafer Senior opposite hitter Brittany Ferguson flies through the air to get a kill from a set by Rose Burke.

The Sacramento State women's volleyball team lost three matches in the sixth-annual Sacramento State volleyball invitational.

The first match was against the Cal State Northridge Matadors on Friday. In the first set the Hornets stayed within a few points behind, but the Matadors remained ahead; winning the first set 25- 20. In the second set the Matadors managed to get a huge lead on the Hornets, and won 25-12.

During halftime, head coach Ruben Volta encouraged the team to comeback and win. "I told them to work harder, and to slow down their attack. I also told them not to worry," said Volta.

Volta's words must have had an effect on the team because in the third set the Hornets battled with the Matadors, not letting them get a lead greater than three points. At the end of the set, the Matadors and Hornets were tied 24-24. The Matadors managed to score two more points and win the set along with the match.

Senior setter Rose Burke led the team in assists with a total of 25, while sophomore middle hitter Maddison Thivierge, senior opposite hitter Brittany Ferguson, and junior outside hitter Desiree Hoyum tied with 6 kills each.

"That set could have easily gone either way," said Burke. She said that in next match the Hornets would be more aggressive, and start taking over from the start.

"We are good team, and we just need to come out and do it," agreed Thivierge.

At their second match of the invitational against the San Jose State Spartans, the Hornets stayed true to their word.

The Hornets started off the set by scoring the first point; however, the Spartans took the lead winning the first set 18- 25.

Players on the Hornets said that the first loss didn't discourage them, "We are taught to keep competing until the end," said junior setter Melissa Melcher.

In the second set, the Hornets took its lead from the beginning and beat the Spartans 25 to 20.

"Our serving was a lot better," said Hoyum. "We just put pressure on them and they fell apart."

In the third set, the Hornets made a comeback, but still lost to the Spartans 21-25. San Jose won again in the fourth set taking the match and leaving the Hornets down 18-25.

Volta says the Hornets will do better in the future and asks Sacramento State students to come out to the games. "We're going to have a strong team… and we're still pretty exciting to watch."

Melcher also believes the Hornets will finish strong, "We are just going through some growing pains right now."

For the San Jose match, Ferguson and Hoyum took the lead in kills with 12 each, while Burke led the team in assists with 42.

In the third and final match of the tournament, the Hornets faced off against Saint Mary's Gaels. The Gaels won the first game 25-20 and the second 25-16, leaving Burke with 21 assists and Ferguson and Hoyum with 9 kills each before the halftime.

With a major comeback in the third game, the Hornets beat the Gaels 25-22 preventing a sweep and went on to win again in the fourth game 25-23.

In the fifth game overtime, the Hornets lost the match 15-13 in a good attempt at a comeback. The loss left the Hornets with a three loss streak this weekend, and a 2-5 record in the season.

The invitational was hosted by Sacramento State. Four teams competed in the invitational: Sacramento State, Saint Mary's, Cal State Northridge, and San Jose State. Saint Mary's left the tournament undefeated.

Zaki Syed can be reached at zsyed@statehornet.com

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