Sac State Drops Ewu In Title Match

Women’s volleyball Sacramento State qualified for its fourth consecutive NCAA volleyball tournament at the expense of an Eastern Washington team that had seldom lost in the last six weeks.

Tasman Dwyer had match highs of 17 kills and six blocks Saturday night during the Hornets’ 15-6, 15-13, 15-4 victory over EWU in the championship match of the Big Sky Conference tourney at Sacramento, Calif.

Sacramento State (21-11) trailed 10-0 and 11-5 in the second game. Two EWU attack errors ended the game.

Sarah Chlebana, Lisa Beauchene and Kelly Voeltz all hit double figures in digs for the Hornets.

EWU (18-10), which had won 12 of its previous 13 matches, struggled to a .075 hitting percentage. Janelle Ruen was a bright spot for the Eagles, with 10 kills, a .346 hitting percentage and 13 digs. Jessie Wright added 16 digs and 14 assists.

EWU’s Jennifer Gabel and Angie Hall made the all-tournament team.

The Eagles can still reach 20 wins and possibly receive an at-large berth to the NCAA tourney. EWU will play Idaho and Boise State at next weekend’s Boise State Thanksgiving Classic.

The Big Sky champion receives an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament.

Jamie Van Meetren finished with 20 digs and 14 kills to help Gonzaga snap an 18-match losing streak with a 15-8, 15-10, 7-15, 6-15 15-13 win at Portland (6-22, 2-12) in the final West Coast Conference match for both.

The Zags (5-23, 1-13) hadn’t won since Sept. 16 vs. Texas Pan American. GU also broke a 13-match league losing streak, the Bulldogs having last won in the WCC against Portland last year.

Britt Whiting added 19 digs and 13 kills for the Bulldogs. Heather Osberg had 14 kills and 12 digs. Whiting’s kill to the middle of the court ended the match.

Jill Shocki totaled 40 assists and 16 digs as Chemeketa ended Community Colleges of Spokane’s season with a 3-0 sweep at the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges tournament in Gresham, Ore.

Mariah Dodrill had 13 kills for the Chiefs of Salem, Ore.

Beth Vercic had 15 kills, Tovah Trimming 17 digs and Halee Haptonstall 15 assists as the Sasquatch finished 32-22.

Jenny Kniss totaled 20 kills and 10 digs, and Idaho (15-12, 6-10) ended its Big West Conference schedule in style with a 15-9, 15-10, 15-13 sweep of visiting and 19th-ranked Utah State (21-9, 10-6).

Heather Kniss added 17 digs and 14 kills, and Regan Butler had 13 digs and 10 kills as the Vandals avenged Utah State’s sweep on Oct. 23.

At Seattle, Emily Seacat and Lisa Underhill combined for 20 kills to lead Southern California (24-2, 16-2) to a 15-7, 15-7, 15-4 sweep of Washington (7-19, 2-16) in the final Pacific-10 Conference match for both.