TURLOCK, Calif. – Back in Northern California, the Sonoma State volleyball team got back in the win column winning in straight sets (25-15, 25-16, 25-20) against Stanislaus State on Wednesday night at Fitzpatrick Arena in Turlock.  The Seawolves move to 16-7, and 10-4 in the CCAA, while the Warriors drop to 2-21 overall and 2-13 in the CCAA.

Also on Wednesday, it was announced that Sonoma State has been ranked at No. 9 in the first official NCAA Division II West Region poll. When the final rankings are announced via a live selection show at NCAA.com on Nov. 20th, SSU will need to be in the Top 8 to qualify. The Seawolves, who have clinched a berth into the 2017 CCAA Championship Tournament set for Nov. 16-18 in San Francisco, will also have an opportunity to earn an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament by winning the conference tournament. The NCAA will continue to release updated regional rankings at NCAA.com every Wednesday afternoon leading up to the Nov. 20th announcement.

After losing their last three matches, and the last two in five sets, it was good to at least get back to Northern California and to refocus for the final stretch of the season.  In a game that was a rematch of a September 30th game in Rohnert Park where the Seawolves won by a 3-0 score, the team was able to regroup and have the same effect tonight. 

In a match that the lead attack hitter for Stanislaus was held to seven kills really tells the story as Sonoma State held the home team to a .010 hitting percentage.  Sonoma State finished the match hitting for a .237 hitting percentage and that was the difference.

In set number one  it was all Seawolves having a 11-2 run to start the match.  Libero Megan Bohorquez led the charge serving ten straight balls with pin point precision, and forcing the home team into three hitting errors sandwiched between two service aces.  While the home team got as close as five points at 20-15 it was the put away and attacking prowess of Senior Middle Hitter Kelsey McIntire who had two kills and two blocks to squash any comeback.

In set number two once again it was all Seawolves jumping out to a 17-8 lead.   The home team really hurt themselves for the second straight set in only having nine kills but accumulating eight errors, and another low percentage hitting percentage.  The Seawolves went back to their efficient offensive ways by accumulating thirteen kills and only four hitting errors.  Offensively Freshman Amy Trephan who had three kills very early, finished with four for the set.

In the final set the Seawolves had a five point run early and that was all that was needed to hold the home team down. Once again defense was the key in holding Stanislaus State to another set of hitting .000. 

Sonoma State comes home Friday for some home cooking as they host four straight home matches to end the regular season. On Friday night the Otters from Cal State Monterey Bay come to town.   The Otters were defeated by Sonoma State in four sets earlier in the year and currently have an 11-11 record.  CSUMB has lost five matches in a row.  Match time is set for 7:00 PM.