HAYWARD, Calif. — On the second day of the Route 92 Tournament, Humboldt State finished the two-day event strong by sweeping Notre Dame de Namur after falling in five sets to Carson-Newman in the afternoon.
 
With the split, HSU finishes 3-1 in the Route 92 Tournament for the second year in a row. The Lumberjacks swept through Academy of Art (3-2) and Cal Baptist (3-1) on Friday night.
 
The HSU win over Notre Dame de Namur also marks the second year in a row the team begins the year with a 3-1 record.
 
"Overall, the weekend was a huge success," said Jacks Head Coach Kelly Wood. "The girls played very well and they are ready to rest up and get back to work next week."
 
On the day, Ashley Owen guided the Jacks frontline with 28 kills, 14 in each match. Kelci Renshaw served nine aces and Kat Rifilato handed out 39 assists.
 
Carson-Newman 3, HSU 2
 
The Eagles (3-0) stormed back from down a set to take a match from the Jacks.
 
"The girls played very well today versus Carson-Newman, which was a very polished, athletic team. A few of our weaknesses were exposed, specifically blocking," said Wood. "The intensity of the match felt a lot like what we're going to face in our conference, and I feel like we grew as a team from this match."
 
HSU used strong finishes in the first and third sets to open a one set advantage. In the opening set down, 22-21, HSU downed the final four points as Rifilato killed the final point for a 25-22 win. Following an Eagle 25-18 second set win, the Jacks held a 14-7 lead, before Owen powered three kills to key her team scoring 11 of the match's final 12 points and 25-8 victory.
 
Carson-Newman worked to a six-point, 16-10, fourth set margin. The Tennessee team would not let HSU any closer than four points the rest of the set for a second 25-18 win to tie the match at two sets apiece.
 
The Eagles continued their momentum in the deciding set by scoring the opening four points. HSU recorded the next two points, but never were able to grab the lead and fell, 15-9.
 
Along with Owen's 14 kills, Nicole Bewley and Symone Hayden added nine kills apiece. Renshaw tied a career-high set the previous night with six aces. Haley Biles led the defense with 18 digs, while
Kaitlyn Dunaway added 15 digs and seven kills.
 
HSU 3, Notre Dame de Namur 0
 
In what took 27 matches to accomplish a year ago, HSU was able to post an opponent sweep in only the fourth match of the season on Saturday. The Jacks recorded a straight-sets win host Notre Dame de Namur, 3-0 (25-19, 25-16 and 25-17), in the Tournament's final matchup.
 
HSU never trailed in the opening set in a 25-19 victory. Tied at 12, Owen killed two of the next three points and Dunaway served three-straight aces to help open a six-point lead for the eventual 25-16 set two final.
 
The Argos (0-5) posted the third set's open three points, but the lead did not last long. The Jacks struck with the next eight points behind three Renshaw aces and were never challenged the rest of the set.
 
Owen hit .571 with 14 kills to lead the HSU offense. Dunaway laced four aces and Colleen Noonan had two of her own.
 
Erin Mitchell had 31 assists and 14 digs combined in the two matches.
 
HSU begins California Collegiate Athletic Association play next weekend. The Jacks play at Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday and Cal State East Bay on Saturday with both matches starting at 7 p.m.