BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Pacific volleyball team earned a 25-23, 25-20, 25-22 straight-set victory over Sacramento State as the Tigers took home first place in the Central Cal Challenge Saturday morning at the Icardo Center.
 
Alexa Edwards led the way offensively for the Tigers (8-4), accumulating 14 kills while tying her season high in service aces with four. Edwards, who continues to lead the West Coast Conference with 184 kills, has tallied double-digit kills in 11 of the 12 matches this season and leads the team with a kill per set ratio of 3.91. The junior from Sacramento, Calif., led a balanced attack against the Hornets (4-8) as Sedona Sherman, Darina Kumanova, Biamba Kabengele, and Ramonni Cook combined for 28 kills while keeping the errors to a minimum.
 
Pacific dominated Sacramento State in the early stages of the first set, jumping out to an early 5-1 lead. The Hornets, however, bounced back and went on a 5-0 run midway through the set to even the score at 19. Trailing 22-21 shortly after, the Tigers captured four of the following five points, including the set's final three to secure the set.
 
In a competitive final two sets, the Tigers took control, grinding out points, as the team only trailed twice the rest of the way.
 
Defensively, the Tigers forced the Hornets into 13 attack errors while also collecting three blocks. Jadyn Tubbs led the team in digs with 13, extending her streak of 10 or more digs in a contest to four straight. Sherman and Kabengele led the team at the net, tallying two blocks assists apiece.
 
"The team won the serving and passing battle and played solid defense, Head Coach Greg Gibbons stated after the team's final non-conference contest. "It was a great team win, and now time to get ready for conference play."
 
Pacific returns to action on Thursday, Sept. 22, as the Tigers travel north to take on Gonzaga at the Charlotte Y. Martin Centre with a start time of 6 p.m.