FRESNO, Calif.--- Stan State opened its 2026 season on a winning note Thursday evening as the Warriors defeated Western Oregon in four sets, 25-12, 23-25, 25-17, 25-19, in their first match of the Sunbird Classic at the Special Events Center.
MATCH SUMMARY
The Warriors (1-0) hit .236 for the match while holding Western Oregon (0-1) to a .115 hitting percentage. Stan State committed just 15 attacking errors in 140 attempts compared to 29 errors by the Wolves.
Lauren Hamilton led an efficient Stan State attack with a career-high 11 kills and no errors on 22 attempts for a .500 hitting percentage.
Lauren Gonzales added a career-high nine kills and tied her career high with 11 digs while recording two service aces.
Fallon Freeman and
Emily Meyer each finished with eight kills.
Sydney Hoffman contributed seven kills and five blocks as the Warriors finished with 18 total blocks, including six solo blocks and 12 block assists.
Leah Mendoza paced the defense with 14 digs.
FIRST SET
Stan State wasted little time taking control of its season opener. The Warriors hit .417 in the opening set with 11 kills and just one attacking error on 24 attempts while limiting Western Oregon to a .000 hitting percentage.
The Warriors never trailed and cruised to a 25-12 victory to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
SECOND SET
Western Oregon responded in a tightly contested second set that featured 10 ties and three lead changes. The Wolves recorded 18 kills and hit .250 in the frame, while Stan State finished with 13 kills.
Western Oregon edged the Warriors 25-23 to even the match at one set apiece.
THIRD SET
Stan State regained control with one of its strongest offensive sets of the evening. The Warriors totaled 14 kills against only three errors in 34 attempts for a .324 hitting percentage. At the same time, Stan State's defense held Western Oregon to nine kills and a .054 hitting percentage. The Warriors took the set 25-17 to move within one set of the season-opening victory.
FOURTH SET
The fourth set featured six ties and four lead changes, but the Warriors pulled away to close out the match. Stan State held Western Oregon to a .111 hitting percentage in the final frame and finished off the Wolves, 25-19, to secure the four-set victory.
WARRIOR NOTABLES
- Lauren Hamilton recorded a career-high 11 kills while committing no errors in 22 attempts for a match-best .500 hitting percentage. She also added four blocks.
- Lauren Gonzales recorded a career-high nine kills and tied her career high with 11 digs. She also had two service aces and one solo block.
- Stan State improved to 4-3 all-time against Western Oregon and has won four of the last five meetings between the two teams.
- The Warriors defeated Western Oregon for the first time since a straight-set victory in 2022.
- Stan State hit .236 for the match while holding Western Oregon to .115.
- The Warriors finished with 48 kills and only 15 attacking errors in 140 attempts.
- Stan State recorded 18 total blocks with six solo blocks and 12 block assists.
- Fallon Freeman finished with eight kills and hit .304 while adding four blocks.
- Sydney Hoffman had seven kills and five blocks, including two solo blocks and three block assists.
- Emily Meyer added eight kills and two blocks.
- Leah Mendoza led the Warriors with 14 digs.
- Ireland Avalos had 21 assists, while Reagan Wilkerson added 17 assists and eight digs.
- The Warriors held Western Oregon to a .000 hitting percentage in the first set and .054 in the third.
- Stan State hit .417 in the opening set and .324 in the third.
UP NEXT
Stan State continues play at the Sunbird Classic on Friday, Aug. 28, when the Warriors face Hawai'i Hilo at 4 p.m. at Fresno Pacific. Hawai'i Hilo enters Friday with a 2-1 record and will face Menlo at 10 a.m. before taking on Stan State later that afternoon.
The Warriors conclude the Sunbird Classic on Saturday, Aug. 29, with a 2 p.m. match against Jessup.
