ARCATA, Calif. — In the biggest win in many seasons, Humboldt State volleyball cut down rival and California Collegiate Athletic Association-leading Sonoma State in straight sets, 3-0, Saturday night.
 
After winning the first set 25-21, the Lumberjacks mounted a second set comeback from six points down to take the second set, 25-21. HSU completed the sweep of Sonoma State with a 25-20 third set win and recorded its first series win in 15 matches.

HSU's Alex Hasenstab and Kaitlyn Dunaway (right in black) block Sonoma State's Caylie Seitz.

 
With the win, HSU improved to 14-5 overall and clinched its first winning season in 15 seasons since it finished 15-11 in 1999. The Jacks also went to 11-4 in the CCAA, one game behind Sonoma State (14-5) at 12-3.
 
"Tonight, I felt like our team outplayed Sonoma State in every aspect of the game and it was good to see," said HSU Head Coach Kelly Wood. "The girls played really loose, and felt the pressure was not on us, but on Sonoma. It was probably the most consistent match we have played all year."
 
The Jacks' blockers totaled a season-high 10 team blocks. Alex Hasenstab led the effort with six block assists and Symone Hayden contributed one solo and four block assists.
 
"Our blocking was as good as I have seen the whole season. We keyed on their big hitters and the girls did a good job staying engaged and played to win," said Wood.
 
Nicole Bewley and Ashley Owen both downed nine kills to lead the home attack. Bewley added three block assists, two set assists, an ace and a dig to her line. Owen had three digs and two blocks to go with her kills.
 
Kaitlyn Dunaway hit six kills, dug eight attacks and had two block assists. Hasenstab lined five kills with her team-high blocks.
 
Haley Biles and Kelci Renshaw combined for 34 digs on defense. Kat Rifilato and Erin Mitchell produced 29 set assists.
 
Tied at eight in the first set, HSU took advantage of two Sonoma State attack errors and Renshaw aced the following point to open an 11-8 lead. The home team would never trail again in the set for the 25-21 victory.
 
The Seawolves opened their largest lead of the night, 12-6, to start the second set. Trailing 17-13, the Jacks rattled off the next six points, all served by Dunaway, to move ahead, 19-17. Behind two Owen kills, HSU finished the set victory, 25-21.
 
In a 15-15 third set deadlock, Bewley killed the next point for HSU, before two Sonoma State attack errors made it 18-15. The Jacks did not allow the Seawolves closer than two points the rest of the set and completed the win, 25-20.
 
With the win, HSU completed its third CCAA perfect week of the year.
 
The Jacks head on the road for the next two weeks. HSU starts at Chico State Friday night with a 7 p.m. first serve.