ROHNERT PARK, Calif- Despite three Sonoma State players with double-digit kills and outstanding hitting percentages, the Seawolves had to fend off a pesky Dominican team in five sets (25-9, 16-25, 25-27, 25-8, 15-10) to remain undefeated this season.
Sonoma State dominated the first set, hitting at a fiery .481 clip, pounding in 14 kills in 27 attacks with only one error. Sophomore
Keala Peterson and freshman
Ally Sather each had five kills in the set, helping SSU to the first set win.
The Penguins came roaring back in the second set, humbling a Seawolves team that hit just .031, tying the match at one.
Both teams came out firing on all cylinders in set three, as it took 52 points between each team to determine who took the 2-1 match lead into the fourth set. The Penguins used several runs to play even with the Seawolves and it was Dominican who took the upper hand in claiming the 27-25 victory in set three.
With the help of Peterson, Sather, senior
Rikki Buckshnis, senior
Sarah Illingworth, junior
Marianne Fox and senior setter
Lindsay Brown, Sonoma State overpowered a tired Dominican squad and cruised to a 25-8 and a 15-10 triumph in sets four and five, respectively, to preserve the undefeated season.
Peterson (18), Buckshnis (13) and Sather (13) led the team in kills as Buckshnis hit at a blistering career-high .722 hitting percentage with the 13 aforementioned kills in 18 attempts and no errors in the match. Illingworth added nine hammers with just one error in 19 attacks for a .421 clip.
Brown, adding to her already impressive all-time assists total, handed out a game-high 54 assists and helped out on defense with 12 digs. Sophomore
Taylor Krenwinkel led the Sonoma State backcourt with 21 digs. Fox was lights out behind the service line with six aces.
Tianna Tuatagaloa and Gabby Pecora had 14 kills to lead Dominican (1-2).
The Seawolves have one more tough test this weekend in Central Washington, who will also enter tonight's match undefeated at 3-0. Sonoma State is looking for revenge as the Wildcats were the Seawolves' only loss in their first 15 matches last season. The match, which will conclude the 2009 Seawolf Spike, is set to begin at 7 p.m. in The Wolves' Den.
Box Score: Sonoma State 3, Dominican 2
