Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Pacific (UOP Banker's Classic)
Gera Leads `Dogs with Seven Kills
11/23/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 23, 2007
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Fresno State volleyball team played well to open the match but the Pacific Tigers outlasted the Bulldogs for the 3-0 victory in the second match of the University of the Pacific Banker's Classic Friday night in Stockton, Calif. The game scores were 26-30, 16-30 and 22-30.
The host team took the early 2-0 lead in game one but the Bulldogs were on fire with sophomore Kelly Leonardo serving and Lacey Gera as the starting outside hitter. Fresno State took an early 9-5 lead. Kara Uhl recorded two-straight service aces for the Tigers as they re-took the lead at 11-9.
Fresno State tied the game at 13-13 and a kill by Lexi Watson and an error by the Tigers caused Pacific to call a timeout. Fresno State took its largest lead of the match at 22-16.
Pacific fought back however, as the match was tied at 23-23, 24-24 and at 25-25. The Tigers then went on a 5-1 run to earn the game one victory. Gera and Watson led the `Dogs in game one with four kills each.
The Tigers started game two as they ended game one as they rolled to with their largest lead of the match at 28-13. Pacific relied its hot serving as they had a total of nine service aces after game two alone.
Pacific got out to 9-1 lead but the `Dogs fought back to get to within four at 10-6 with a kill by Alisha McKee and an ace. A kill by Gera cut the lead to 15-12.
Down 19-13, the `Dogs went on a 4-0 run to get within two at 19-17, but that was as close as the `Dogs would get as the Tigers took game three and the match and earned a spot in tomorrow's championship.
Gera finished the match with a team-high seven kills and Kasey Van Grouw added 24 assists. Kelly Mason had 16 digs to lead the Bulldogs.
The Tigers were the third team out of the Big West Conference that the Bulldogs played this season. Fresno State fell to Cal State Northridge in the first match of the season at the University of Washington Husky Classic 3-2. The Bulldogs also defeated UC Davis for their first win of the season at the Save Mart Center on August 31.
The Bulldogs (5-25) will play the final match of the 2007 season in the consolation match of the tournament Saturday night against St. Mary's (14-13) at 5 p.m.
Fresno State and St. Mary's met at the Save Mart Center on September 2. The Gaels were victorious in the first meeting, 3-0. The Gaels were defeated in the opening match Friday by the Cincinnati Bearcats, 3-0.
"Join the State - Fresno State!" - The Bulldogs finish the season against St. Mary's in the consolation match of the University of the Pacific Banker's Classic, Nov. 23-24 in Stockton, Calif.
