HONOLULU – The Sonoma State volleyball team pulled out all the stops in the 2023 opener, taking down Hawaii Pacific in a five-set classic.  The Seawolves used a heroic effort in the fourth game to stay alive, taking it 34-32 before running away with a 15-8 win in the deciding fifth game. 
 
SSU started quick, breaking a 4-4 tie with six straight points.  Jen Trephan and Emily Hernandez recorded kills with Trephan and Jaden Krist adding a block.  The Sharks battled back and pulled within one on three different occasions but the Seawolves always had an answer.  After HPU made it 20-19 Sonoma State put the set away with five of the next six points.  Krist delivered a kill, Dylan Copeland followed with an ace and Hernandez added a big solo block to take it 25-20. 
 
The Sharks rebounded by pulling out the second and third sets, combining for 24 kills and just one error.  SSU recorded 25 kills during the two sets but finished with 15 errors over that span and fell 25-22 and 25-15. 
 
Trailing 2-1 entering the fourth set the Seawolves had their backs against the wall.  HPU led early but Sonoma State battled back to tie several times before finding themselves down 19-15. The Seawolves then made their run, taking the next seven points to flip the game and take a 22-19 lead.  Kiana Richardson picked up two kills and Brynna Slayton added a pair of aces during the run.  From that point on the set turned into an instant classic. 
 
Sonoma State earned set point at 24-22 only to have the Sharks tie it up with two straight points.  The two teams then traded the next six points to once again see the score tied.   After HPU earned set point Trephan evened score at 28-28 and an attack error put the Seawolves back in front.  The Sharks took the next two to flip it back and SSU followed with two of their own on kills by Leilani Hallman and Krist.  With the score 31-30 HPU was not done yet, winning the next two to give themselves a shot to end the match.  Trephan evened the score at 32-32 on the next rally before two straight errors by the Sharks gave SSU the 34-32 win. 
 
The fifth and deciding set was all Seawolves as they continued the momentum from the end of the fourth.  SSU opened with a 7-2 run and later forced match point with a 6-1 run to make it 14-6.  Three points later HPU committed another attacking error to seal the win for Sonoma State. 
 
The Seawolves held a 61-51 kill advantage and led 10-5 in aces.  Slayton, fresh of setting the single season record in aces last season finished with a match-high six aces.  Trephan finished with a triple-double, recording 17 kills, 18 assists and 10 digs.  Krist added 14 kills while Jackie Winfield racked up 12 kills in her collegiate debut.  Kaden Young anchored the defense with 22 digs. 
 
Sonoma State returns to the court on Friday night with a big match against PacWest favorite Chaminade at 7:00 pm pacific time.