Sacramento State had a dominant showing back home at The Nest, going 3-0 in the Central Cal Challenge, a four-team tournament that included CSU Bakersfield, Fresno State and Pacific.
Hornets senior middle blocker Ashlynn Archer was named MVP and was one of three players named to the all-tournament team, alongside senior setter Kate Doorn and sophomore outside hitter Victoria Marthaler.
“We never play as good as we do in The Nest,” Archer said. “It felt really good to be home in front of our home crowd.”
Marthaler shared a similar sentiment.
“I love being at home. That energy is so good,” Marthaler said. “So many fans show up and show out. It just brings such a good vibe and I think gives us the extra energy to perform.”
Sac State won every game in commanding fashion, only losing one set all tournament.
“Our defense really stepped it up this weekend,” Archer said. “I feel like all three of these teams couldn’t get past our blocks, couldn’t get past our defense.”
RELATED: Sac State serves up a 2-1 weekend in their Beantown debut
Game 1: Sac State: 3, CSU Bakersfield: 0
The Hornets kicked off the tournament Thursday with a 3-0 sweep against the Bakersfield Roadrunners. The Roadrunners kept it close in every set, but ultimately, the Hornets were able to limit their errors and control the game in key areas.
In set one, Sac State got down by as much as five, and the Roadrunners even reached the target score 25 first in a win by two situation. Down 25-24, Archer had back-to-back kills, and freshman outside hitter Keonahi’ilani Solaita finished the set with an ace, winning 27-25.
Set two was defined by a comeback from the Roadrunners, initially down 24-19. CSUB scored five straight points to tie it at 24. An attack error by CSUB was punctuated by a kill from Marthaler, ending the set 26-24.
In the final set, the Roadrunners held the lead until point 21. The Hornets had a 4-0 run led by Marthaler and Archer, tying it up 21-21.
Sac State followed up a CSUB point with another 3-0 run, making it 24-22. A block by freshman middle blocker Kelsey Heffner and senior outside hitter Greta Davis clinched the set.
The block by Kelsey Heffner and Greta Davis to clinch the match point for the Hornets.
Sac State sweeps CSU Bakersfield 3-0 @SH_Sports pic.twitter.com/eB04v35QgX
— Alex Grado (@AGknwID) September 22, 2025
Game 2: Sac State: 3, Pacific: 0
Friday night versus the Pacific Tigers was dedicated to Childhood Cancer Awareness, as the Hornets played with 8-year-old Honorary Captain Penelope Calabrese, in attendance.
Honoring 8-year-old cancer survivor and honorary team captain Penelope Calabrese today! @GoTeamIMPACT #StingersUp pic.twitter.com/8TdKTCcSoz
— Sacramento State Volleyball (@SacStateVB) September 20, 2025
“She’s been a part of the team since my freshman year,” Archer said. “So just getting that win for her meant a lot.”
Former Sacramento Kings player and assistant general manager Peja Stojakovic was also on hand to watch as his daughter played for the opposing Tigers.
The Tigers had previously won the Central Cal Challenge three years in a row as well.
The Hornets looked like they were playing for something as they swept the Tigers 3-0 with all three total lead changes coming in the first set. After an early Tigers lead, Sac State came back and never trailed in the final two sets. The win came in large part due to a season-high 11 blocks and another season-high 10 aces by the Hornets.
Sac State head coach Ruben Volta credited the team’s serving as the key to their defensive success.
“I thought we did a really good job serving. That kind of got our blocking and defense started this weekend,” Volta said. “Just got to continue to try and get more consistent at it.”
All three lead changes came before point 16 in set one. After that back-and-forth, it was Hornets all the way. Sac State held the advantage in kills, blocks, assists and hitting percentage.
HORNETS WIN! Sweep Pacific, 25-19, 25-16, 25-10!
• Never trailed the final 2 sets
• Archer 13 kills, 5 blk, .476 hit%
• Gartin 6 kills, 4 blk, .857 hit%
• Solaita 7 kills, .438 hit%
• Marthaler 7 kills, 3 blk
• Ampi 10 digs, 3 aces
• Doorn 14 ast, 3 aces
• Piepho 18 ast pic.twitter.com/q0CnLMh0OV— Sacramento State Volleyball (@SacStateVB) September 20, 2025
The toughest test of the weekend came on Saturday against the Fresno State Bulldogs, in which Sac State lost the first set but fought back to win the following three.
Marthaler set her career high in kills for the fifth time this season, reaching a total of 26. Archer tied her career-best 16 kills. Sac State hit .430 and tied the seventh best single-match mark during the school’s Division I era, which began in 1991.
The Hornets turned in a dominant performance, outpacing the Bulldogs in kills, aces, blocks and assists. There were only seven lead changes in the last three sets.
HORNETS WIN! Beat Fresno State, 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-15, 25-17)!
• Hornets go 3-0 and are the Central Cal Challenge champions!
• Dropped just 1 set in 3 matches
• Marthaler career-high 26 kills, .479
• Archer career-high tying 16 kills, .500
• Doorn 40 ast, 14 digs pic.twitter.com/y9vOmWKH4Z— Sacramento State Volleyball (@SacStateVB) September 20, 2025
Marthaler, who transferred from Weber State, credited the support of her teammates for the smooth transition.
“Since I got here in the spring, I had time to get comfortable with the team and it made the turnover so easy,” Marthaler said. “They’re all super sweet and they got my back so that helps.”
Victoria Marthaler setting her career-high with her 25th kill of the game. @SacStateVB #CentralCalChallenge pic.twitter.com/K9Q1qZgJ5S
— Alex Grado (@AGknwID) September 22, 2025
The Hornets will open up their 30th and final season of conference play in the Big Sky on the road versus Montana on Thursday, Sept. 25.
