The Hornets might have been rubbing the sleep out of their eyes still during the first game against Columbia University this morning at the Hornet’s Nest.

“I was worried we might be a little flat after last night,” coach Debby Colberg said. “Columbia plays a feisty type of game. Overall I am pleased with the match.”

After a thrilling four-game win over Nevada in which Wolfpack senior Salaia Salave’a led all scorers with 24 kills, the Hornets held off a “scrappy” Columbia team in three straight games.

“We defended a lot of scrappy balls,” senior setter Natalie Melcher said.

After sitting out for two straight games Sacramento State’s setter Rose Burke appeared in the third game, tagging in for Melcher.

While outside hitter Shannon Roland scored a team high 11 kills against the Lions, the Hornets’ libero Kristin Lutes dug up 24 balls to drive the defense.

“My defense was really aggressive,” says Lutes. “We’re really starting to trust each other.”

Lutes also scored the match point with her only kill of the day.

Putting away this game improves Sac State’s season to 4-5 with a 2-0 record for the Sacramento State Invitational. Columbia drops down to 0-2 for the tournament and the season. Tonight the Hornets play the last game of the tournament against Loyola Marymount at 7:30 in the Hornets Nest.