For the 45th time under head coach Debby Colberg, Sacramento State volleyball defeated their regional rivals across the Yolo Causeway, UC Davis 3-0 (30-17, 30-19, 30-16), Tuesday night at the Pavilion on the Davis Campus.

“I’ve lived through some really intense competition between these two schools when we were very good Div. II teams,” Colberg said after the current Hornets served up a 74 minute sweep win over the Aggies. “We just don’t like Davis.”

Senior outside hitter and team captain Sandra Bandimere led the way for the Hornets with 13 kills, 13 digs and a service ace. The kills were a match-high and the digs tied with senior setter Stephanie Gamst for a team-high. Two other Hornets were in double figures in digs comprising senior outside hitter Jackie Coudert (10) and junior libero Mallory Hook (11).

“Tonight it was almost like we were just going through the motions,” Bandimere said. “That’s just how it felt on the court.”

Bandimere said that in the cavernous Pavilion, communication was an issue, and it showed on several plays early as Davis took a 9-5 lead early in game one. The Hornets then regrouped and went on a 25-8 run to close out the first frame, the last two coming on aces from middle hitter Emily Wilson, part of a seven point service run for the senior.

“Honestly I had a headache tonight,” said Wilson, who had 11 kills, three blocks and a .550 hitting percentage. “But I’m not going to let that stop me.”

Sac State’s defense limited the Aggies to a -.023 team hitting percentage in the first game and a -.016 percentage for the match.

Tuesday night was the first time all season in any sport that a Sac State team defeated a Davis team and the standings for the Causeway Cup are now 30-10 in favor of the Aggies.

For Colberg, who lives in Davis and whose husband, Gary, is the associate Athletic Director for the University, the rivalry still runs deep.

“There’s no conflict living here and certainly not with Gary working here…well maybe for him, but I definitely bleed green.”