HSU punctuates growth year with straight sets victory of Cal State Stanislaus

TURLOCK – Every team likes to finish its season strong.  Humboldt State was able to add an exclamation point to the end of its rebuilding season with a straight sets victory over Cal State Stanislaus.

The Lumberjacks posted their third opponent sweep of the year to secure the 12^th and final win of the 2013 campaign, 3-0, over the Warriors.

Symone Hayden capped each of Saturday night’s sets with a kill for the three-set sweep by scores of 25-22, 25-21 and 27-25.

“The girls played with a great amount of energy tonight.  They really wanted to finish this season on a high note and they definitely did that tonight,” noted HSU head coach Kelly Wood.

The Jacks’ 12^th victory enabled the squad to claim four times as many court victories as a year ago and the most matches in the win column since ending 13-13 during the 2005 season.

“We feel like our rebuilding year was a success overall.  I’m proud of the growth the team made over the course of the season,” pointed out Wood.

The HSU frontline – Kaitlyn Dunaway, Ashley Owen and Symone Hayden – came through each with double figure kill totals and a combined 43 of the team’s 51 kills to help send teammate and lone senior Sam Siebert off with a victory for her final collegiate match.

“I’m really happy that we were able to send our only senior off with a win and especially to do it in three sets,” said the Jacks director.

Dunaway paced the attack with 16 kills to go with 16 digs on defense, an ace and one assist.

Right behind her, Owen downed 14 kills, dug two balls and added a block.  Hayden chipped in 13 kills, nine digs and an ace.

In her final match, Siebert directed the HSU offense with 41 set assists, while tying a team-high 17 digs and a solo block to her credit.

Kelci Renshaw and Colleen Noonan were also key on the Jacks (12-17/7-15 California Collegiate Athletic Association) backline with 17 and 14 digs, respectively.

Courtney Debrunner contributed three blocks and five kills.

Deadlocked at 14 in the first set, the successful night started with a three-point burst capped by visiting kills from Hayden and Dunaway to go ahead 17-14.  HSU would not trail down the stretch as Hayden completed the 25-22 set with another kill.

A little later in the second set, HSU was able to take a 2-0 lead into intermission by putting the final four points on the scoreboard with Hayden hitting the 23^rd and 25^th points.

The Warriors (7-23/4-18 CCAA) battled to the end in what would be the season’s final set for both squads.

Cal State Stanislaus took the third set to extra points, but could not take advantage of two-set points, 24-23 and 25-24, as Dunaway killed HSU attacks to prevent the home team set win each time.

Following a home attack error to make it 26-25, Hayden completed the ‘hat trick’ of final points and gave Siebert an assist on her final collegiate rally.

“(From tonight) We’re ready to get to work in the spring,” concluded Wood.

A spring practice season the HSU coach will try to use as a springboard to make the next step in the rebuilding of the volleyball program.

###