FRESNO, Calif.--- Stan State battled Hawai'i Hilo through four sets Friday evening in its second match of the Sunbird Classic, with the Vulcans defeating the Warriors 25-9, 26-28, 25-17, 25-13 at Fresno Pacific's Special Events Center.
Stan State (1-1) responded to a difficult opening set by winning a back-and-forth second frame 28-26 to even the match at one set apiece. Hawai'i Hilo (4-1), which entered the match after defeating Menlo in five sets earlier Friday, responded by taking the final two sets.
Sydney Hoffman tied her career high with eight kills while hitting .438, committing just one error in 16 attacks.
Emily Meyer also finished with eight kills for the Warriors.
FIRST SET
Hawai'i Hilo jumped out to a 7-0 advantage before Stan State began to settle into the match.
The Warriors answered with three consecutive points after falling behind 8-1. Hoffman started the stretch with a kill and followed with a service ace before a Hilo attack error cut the deficit to 8-4.
The Vulcans regained control from there. Hilo used another run to extend its lead to 12-4 and continued to pull away on its way to a 25-9 opening-set victory.
Hilo hit .400 with 13 kills in the first set while holding Stan State to three kills.
SECOND SET
Stan State responded with its best offensive performance of the evening in a second set that featured 12 ties and six lead changes.
The Warriors stayed close throughout the opening portion of the set before a Hoffman kill tied the score at 11-11. A block by
Soraya Forbes and Hoffman on the next point gave Stan State a 12-11 lead. Neither team was able to create much separation from there. Hilo went ahead 19-16 before Stan State continued to chip away, eventually pulling within 23-22.
The Vulcans reached set point at 24-22, but Hoffman delivered a kill before a Hilo attack error tied the score at 24-24. After Hilo regained the lead at 25-24, Forbes answered with a kill to make it 25-25.
Hilo again moved one point from the set at 26-25, but the Warriors closed with three straight points.
Lauren Gonzales tied the set with a kill,
Lauren Hamilton followed with a kill to give Stan State a 27-26 advantage, and a Hilo attack error finished off the Warriors' 28-26 victory.
Stan State recorded 18 kills in the set and hit .196.
THIRD SET
Stan State scored the opening point of the third set before Hilo moved ahead 5-1. The Warriors responded and pulled within one at 7-6 following a Forbes kill and a Hilo setting error.
Hilo then began to create separation. The Vulcans turned an 11-8 advantage into a 16-8 lead with five consecutive points. Stan State continued to battle and put together a three-point run late in the set to cut a 23-14 deficit to 23-17, but Hilo scored the final two points to take the set 25-17 and regain a 2-1 lead in the match.
FOURTH SET
Hilo carried its momentum into the fourth, opening with five consecutive points before Meyer put Stan State on the board with a kill.
The Vulcans extended their advantage to 10-1 and maintained control throughout the set. Stan State continued to compete late. With Hilo leading 23-7, the Warriors scored five straight points behind the serving of
Gabriella Valencia. Hamilton started the run with a kill before Valencia recorded a service ace. A Hilo attack error and a
Maggie Olson kill followed before Valencia delivered another ace to make it 23-12.
Hilo eventually closed out the set 25-13 to secure the four-set victory.
The Vulcans finished the match hitting .302 with 57 kills, including a .636 hitting percentage in the fourth set. Stan State recorded 34 kills and hit .101.
WARRIOR NOTABLES
- Sydney Hoffman tied her career high with eight kills, finishing with a .438 hitting percentage on eight kills and just one error in 16 attempts. She also had a service ace, one solo block and one block assist for a team-high 10.5 points.
- Emily Meyer also recorded eight kills to tie Hoffman for the team lead.
- Lauren Hamilton finished with five kills without an attack error, hitting .417 on 12 attempts.
- Reagan Wilkerson recorded 22 assists and eight digs, while Ireland Avalos added eight assists.
- Leah Mendoza led Stan State with 16 digs.
- Stan State's second-set victory featured 18 kills, 12 ties and six lead changes.
UP NEXT
Stan State concludes the Sunbird Classic on Saturday, Aug. 29, when the Warriors face Jessup at 2 p.m. at Fresno Pacific's Special Events Center. Jessup enters Saturday with a 1-1 record and will face Menlo at 10 a.m. before taking on Stan State at 2 p.m.
Following the Sunbird Classic, the Warriors will travel to Denton, Texas, for four matches at the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Corinth-Denton Volleyfest, Sept. 4-5. Stan State will face Westminster and Southern Arkansas on Friday, Sept. 4, before taking on Southern Nazarene and host Texas Woman's University on Saturday, Sept. 5.
