ARCATA, Calif. – It went back-and-fourth all night in Lumberjack Arena, as San Francisco State (11-12, 9-7) was able to outlast Humboldt State (9-11, 7-9) in five sets (22-25, 25-19, 24-26, 25-23, 13-15) on Saturday night.
 
"It definitely was a couple of teams pretty evenly matched just battling for every point," said Head Coach Kelly Wood. "It was never a question of how hard my team fights and battles to win points, we just weren't able to terminate points throughout."
 
The Jacks used a 6-1 run in the opening set to take an early lead at 12-7, but a seven consecutive point stretch later in the game for the Gators gave the visitors the lead back. Despite cutting the deficit down to just two, HSU wasn't able to complete the comeback and fell, 25-22.
 
In the second set, the Green and Gold forced an SF State timeout after jumping ahead 11-5. The lead was never surrendered, and HSU closed out the set with three straight points to take the second set.
 
Humboldt State responded well to a timeout call in the third set, while down 15-11. The Lumberjacks rallied for six straight points, two of which coming from Kaitlin Dunaway service aces. Throughout the match, HSU recorded nine service aces on the night, and only committed six errors from the line. Despite the run, SF State was able to stay close and retake the lead and eventual used an extra point to take the set, 26-24.
 
In a must-win fourth set, the Jacks again used a timeout to turn things around. Coming out of the timeout down 12-8, the Green and Gold collected seven of the next nine points and retook the lead 15-14, forcing a Gator timeout. The turning point in the set occurred with the Jacks down 20-19. Humboldt earned the next five points, with the last two coming off of back-to-back service aces to bring the score to set point. San Francisco State did score the next three points, but Alex Hasenstab and Dunaway combined for the set-clinching block, to win 25-23. Hasenstab finished with a career-best seven blocks, including three solo.
 
The Jacks opened the final set in a major hole, down 7-2. As the team has shown all season, Humboldt clawed back into the match, forcing a Gator timeout at 7-8. Each side then traded off 4-1 runs to bring the first-to-fifteen final to 12-13. The final three points went back-and-forth, giving SF State the match, 15-13.
 
Symone Hayden led all hitters with 21 kills, Katherine Rifilato recorded a team-high 28 assists, and Haley Biles led the Jacks with 26 digs. Viridiana Serrano added an extra spark for the Green and Gold in the fourth and fifth sets.
 
"In the start of that fifth game to be down 7-2, we dig ourselves those kind of deep holes and pull ourselves out, especially to fifteen," said Wood. "We're going to have to play more consistently, execute better, and finish points on these long rallies. We're just a little away from being where we need to be."
 
The Jacks have just two weeks remaining in the 2015 season. Humboldt State will play in Southern California next week with matches at Cal State Los Angeles and Cal State Dominguez Hills. HSU defeated both programs in the opening week of this 3-1 home stand. The final week of the season will conclude at Lumberjack Arena with matches against Chico State and Stanislaus State.