The SF State volleyball team continued to dominate Friday-night games yesterday, after the team won its eighth game of the season over visiting Cal State L.A. in four sets.
The Gators got off to a slow start in the first set, and fell behind early 2-8. A strong rally tied the set up at 20 per team, but SF State couldn’t pull off the comeback and ultimately lost the set 25-22.
“We started building momentum in the first set,” said head coach Jill Muhe. “Then we were able to take the momentum that we had built and roll with it into the second set.”
SF State came out with more fight in the second set by exchanging blows with the Eagles. Behind the continuously great play of Jaclyn Clark, the Gators put together a rally and won the set 25-22.
The Gators went into halftime with some momentum and a tied game at 1-1.
The third set saw both teams battle back and forth, and neither could gain enough momentum to pull away. The game was tied at 21 until the Gators were able to win some rallies and won the set 25-22.
“We talked about coming out strong, and that they were going to come out strong, and we created a push and about pushing back and countering that with our own enthusiasm,” junior Bria Morgan said. “I think we were able to do that which then created us having momentum to get game three.”
The Gators carried the momentum they gained from the third set into the fourth, but midway through the set, a controversial call in favor of the Eagles put them back in the set, and tied it at 11-11. The ball landed on the basketball hoops that were propped up to avoid contact.
“(The referee and I) had discussed whether that backboard was in-bounds before the match and I was told that the beam was out,” Muhe said. “I thought that it was definitely on the other side of the beam, but it’s his call so even though it was controversial we rebounded from it and we did a good job of that, and I was happy about that.”
Nonetheless, the Gators took the fourth frame 25-23.
Filling in for the injured senior Jazmine Williams, freshman Samantha Krakower played the best game of her Gator career with 10 kills.
“It feels good, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter,” Krakower said. “I’m just glad that we won.”
Though the Gators (8-9) have continued to win Friday night games, Saturdays have not been as successful with the team 0-5. SF State looks to end the Saturday-night curse tonight vs Cal State Dominguez Hills (2-14).
