By: Javen Takhar (@javentakhar)| Junior right side hitter Lolo Fonua spikes the ball during a during a 3-0 loss to Santa Barbara on Aug. 30. (Photo by Mohammad Najimi – The Spear)
Coming off a two-game win streak, the Spartans (2-3) enter the Mustang Invitational Tournament taking on the Golden Bears (3-2).
San Jose State gets the win sweeping Cal Berkeley 3-0 making it the first win over the Bears since 2001.
Junior outside hitter Naima Foster led the team with 10 kills, matching her season high.
In the opening minute of set one, junior setter Fatimah Hall delivered an assist to redshirt junior right-side hitter Lolo Fonua to finish the kill.
The Spartans looked strong in the set one with a .587 hitting percentage.
Hall would finish with 18 assists, matching Berkeley’s senior setter Natalie Lau for the most in the game.
Lau would have the assist to set up a kill for redshirt junior Sophie Scott to tie the game at seven a piece in the second set.
But an attack error by junior outside hitter Ashley Li would give the Spartans the lead, and they would ultimately end up going on a 8-1 scoring streak.
Fonua and sophomore middle blocker Learden Lee hosted a block party on the court, each blocking five shots.
Cal’s senior middle blocker Mikayla Hayden led the game in scoring with 12.5 points.
Despite having 105 attacks, the Golden Bears only put up 33 kills compared to the Spartans’ 92 attacks with 38 kills.
Berkeley made it a close game in set three going on a four-point run making the score 19-20, but back-to-back errors gave SJSU the boost they needed to finish strong.
The biggest game changer was the errors, Cal Berkeley committed 21 errors, while SJSU had 13.
The Spartans look to carry on the momentum in the Mustang Invitational when they take on the hosting Cal Poly at 3 p.m. Sunday, September 14 at the Mott Athletics Center.
