Azusa, Calif. – Sonoma State kicked off the weekends West Region Volleyball Showcase with splitting two matches, falling 3-0 to host team Azusa Pacific and a big 3-2 win over Northwest Nazarene. 
 
Thursday's victory was a cause for an additional celebration.
 
By virtue of their 3-2 win against Northwest Nazarene, the Sonoma State volleyball team gave head coach Bear Grassl his 300th career win.
 
In his sixteenth season at the helm of the program, Grassl's career record now stands at 300-175. He is the first volleyball coach at Sonoma State to hit the 300 mark. 
 
The Seawolves battled off the Nighthawks three match points in the fourth set to force a fifth and take it all (18-25, 25-20, 17-25, 29-27, 15-8). Improving its overall record to 4-3.
 
"I'm just really proud of all the girls who did it. Just excited to get to be along for the ride," head coach Bear Grassl.
 
Azusa Pacific 3, Sonoma State 0 
The two programs last played each other in 1982 when Sonoma defeated Azusa Pacific 3-0, with today's loss the series is tied 1-1.
 
The Seawolves led the match in aces accounting for seven to the Cougars four, Emily Eaton and Caiti Wiesner claimed three aces each. 
 
Sonoma State 3, Northwest Nazarene 2
Sonoma State scored first in all five sets and outdid the Nighthawks three categories, points (81 to 69), kills (64 to 50), and aces (9 to 6).
 
The trio of Brianna Ranney, Adriana Baysinger, and Tate Battistini recorded double-digit kills, Ranney (17), Baysinger (16), and Battisitini (11).
 
The Northwest Nazarene volleyball team was picked to finish fourth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in a preseason poll voted by the league's coaches. The Nighthawks finished second last season, compiling a 16-4 conference record and advanced to the NCAA Division II national tournament for the third time in four years.
 
Sonoma State is back in action at Azusa Pacific at 3:00 p.m. on Friday against Western Washington.