Boxscore
ARCATA, Calif. — The Humboldt State volleyball three-match week could not have started any better. HSU stormed out of the intermission and upset No. 8 Cal State San Bernardino for the four-set upset, 3-1, Wednesday night.
 
Tied at a set (26-24, 20-25), the Lumberjacks (8-3/5-2 California Collegiate Athletic Association) built a six-point lead and never lost the advantage for a 25-21 third set victory, before jumping all over the defending CCAA champion Coyotes (8-3/5-2 CCAA) to a tune of 25-11 for the match victory.
 
"Our confidence continues to rise. We can play with anyone in the conference and beat anybody in the conference when we play our game," said HSU Head Coach Kelly Wood.
 
For the first time in 17 seasons and first time since joining the CCAA eight years ago, HSU defeated the traditional power CSU San Bernardino. The Jacks' last series victory came in a 3-0 win in Chico during the 2006 season. HSU has to go back an additional two years to find the last win over CSU San Bernardino in Arcata, which it won 3-2 in the 1994 campaign.
 
"We forced them into playing our tempo. We did our best to key on their middles and (Alexandra) Torline," said the Jacks' coach.
 
HSU accomplished the task of holding CSU San Bernardino's frontline. The Jacks held the top CCAA hitting team to a .207 hitting percentage, which was 73 points lower than the visitors' season average. The home team posted its own .299 attack for the match.
 
It was another HSU team effort. The Jacks saw all six frontline players hit for at least eight kills with Ashley Owen's 16 kills lead the night.
 
Symone Hayden downed 13 kills to her credit. Nicole Bewley chipped in 12 kills, hit .375 and finished with three block assists.
 
Kaitlyn Dunaway and Kat Rifilato both registered double-doubles. Dunaway posted 11 kills and 11 digs, while Rifilato had 11 kills, 28 assists, eight digs and three block assists.
 
Alex Hasenstab made the most of her 13 attacks with eight kills to hit .462.
 
Haley Biles and Kelci Renshaw paced the defense with 18 digs apiece, respectively. Erin Mitchell handed out a team-high 30 assists.
 
Trailing 10-5 in the opening set, HSU rallied to eventually pull even, 19-19. The Jacks received a kill apiece from Hayden, Dunaway and Hasenstab to edge a 26-24 victory.
 
The Coyotes netted three points in a row to take a 13-11 second set lead and never trailed the rest of the way for a 25-20 win and tie, 1-1, at the intermission.
 
"After the second set, we started serving and passing well," said Wood. "Every part of our game picked up after the intermission."
 
HSU ran out to the six-point lead, 16-10, before holding off a late CSU San Bernardino charge for the 25-21 third set. The Jacks took control early and never let up to storm to a 25-11 fourth set win and match victory.
 
HSU will not have much time to enjoy the upset. The Jacks host the Tritons of UC San Diego on Thursday night starting at 7 p.m.