Box Score

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CARSON, Calif. – They saw an opening-game lead melt away. But the Seattle Pacific Falcons had an answer.
 
They faced a four-point deficit late in the second game. But the Falcons came up with another answer.
 
Then, when the third game got close, they answered yet again.

 

Gabby Oddo had another double, this time with 14 kills and 13 digs, and Symone Tran earned her 1,000th career assist on Thursday afternoon as SPU swept past Humboldt State in the first match of the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase.
 
Scores in the Torodome at Cal State Dominguez Hills were 29-27, 28-26, 25-17.
 
"It gives us confidence to know we can win these close ones, we can pull this out and stay calm in the process," head coach Chris Johnson said. "We can still be ourselves, still have fun, still play loose and fluid, and still find that balance."
 
SPU (2-3 overall) plays two matches on Friday, facing host Dominguez Hills at 2:30 p.m., then taking on Hawaii Hilo at 7:30. Its final tournament contest is on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. against Azusa Pacific.
 
Freshman outside hitter Oddo (Alta Loma, Calif.) now has four double-doubles in her first five college matches. Her performance on Thursday also included a .286 hitting mark, with just two errors on 43 attacks.
 
Sophomore setter Tran (Portland, Ore.) came into the day with 965 career assists and recorded 35 more in the match, putting her right at 1,000. She also had three service aces, tying the career high she set just last Friday against Concordia Irvine.

 

Sophomore middle blocker Shaun Crespi (Camarillo, Calif.) had a solid day with nine kills, .333 hitting, and four total blocks, including two solos. Junior opposite Hannah Lautenbach (Portland, Ore.) added seven kills, nine digs, two service aces, and two block assists. Sophomore libero Amanda Ganete (Hillsboro, Ore.) had a team-high 19 digs.
 
After a back-and-forth first two games, Seattle Pacific never trailed in Game 3, and was tied just once, that at 1-1. Up 6-5, the Falcons ran off three straight points, part of a 6-1 run that left them on top, 12-6.
 
Humboldt State (3-2) came back, getting as close as 15-14. SPU then ran off six straight points, the last five with Oddo serving. Then, at 22-17, the Falcons got the final three points of the match: a sharp-angle kill by junior opposite Lautenbach, an attack error by the Lumberjacks, and a dunk kill by Crespi.
 
"That's one of the most fun matches I've coached in recent memory," Johnson said. "Just the way we played, and the communication on the court. The physical effort was there, and the players were mentally engaged really well, and emotionally, too. It was good to see that. They were connected to what they needed to and what the opponent was trying to do."
 
SPU led for most of the opening game, including 22-18. But Humboldt rallied, and had game-point opportunities at 25-24 and 27-26. A Crespi block tied it at 27-27, then an Oddo kill and a bad set by Humboldt State finished it.
 
The Lumberjacks had the advantage for most of Game 2. But the Falcons, down 21-17, rang up six of the next seven points for a 23-22 edge. Humboldt State had a game point at 25-24, but Crespi responded with a quick kill at the net. SPU went up 26-25, then 27-26. On the next point, Oddo swung for a kill, and a Humboldt player dug it up, but sent it wide.
 
"It was just a good display of poise that our team has on the court this year," Johnson said.
 
Seattle Pacific hit .183 for the match (39 kills-16 errors-126 attacks. Humboldt wound up at .134 (46-26-149), and was limited to .000 by the Falcons in Game 3. The Falcons served well, with eight aces, led by Tran's three, and just four errors.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase
Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016
The Torodome / Carson, Calif.
 
Seattle Pacific 3, Humboldt State 0
 
Game scores – 29-27, 28-26, 25-17.
 
Service aces – SPU 8 (Symone Tran 3), HSU 1 (Katherine Rifilato 1).
Kills—SPU 39 (Gabby Oddo 14), HSU 46 (Symone Hayden 12).
Assists – SPU 38 (Tran 35), HSU 45 (Rifilato 28).
Digs – SPU 57 (Amanda Ganete 19, Oddo 13), HSU 60 (Sarah Shively 16).
Block assists / solo – SPU 8 / 3 solo (Shaun Crespi 2 / 2 solo), HSU 6 / 0 solo (Nicole Bewley 2 / 0 solo).
Hitting (kills-errors-attacks) – SPU 39-16-126 – .183 (Crespi 9-4-15 – .333, Oddo 14-2-43 – .279), HSU 46-26-149 – .134 (Bewley 10-4-26 – .231).
Attendance – 210.
 
Records – Seattle Pacific 2-3, Humboldt State 3-2.
 
Next match
Seattle Pacific vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills
Friday, 2:30 p.m.
The Torodome / Carson, Calif.