HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SEMIFINALS : Clements, Kristich Spark Attack as Northridge Posts Two Sweeps

Women’s volleyball: Matadors dispatch Oregon State and Sam Houston State in pool play of national tournament.

Cal State Northridge, led by the hitting of Missy Clements and the blocking of Ana Kristich, swept Oregon State and Sam Houston State in pool play matches Friday in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

Northridge defeated Oregon State, 17-15, 15-0, 15-11, in its first match before beating Sam Houston State, 15-12, 15-5, 15-5.

The Matadors will conclude pool play today with matches against Connecticut (27-9, 0-2 in the tournament) and Minnesota (20-14, 2-0) at noon and 5 p.m. PST, respectively.

If Northridge wins both matches, the Matadors will advance to the semifinals Sunday.

Northridge’s victory over Oregon State avenged a four-game loss to the Beavers on Oct. 8 and the victory over Sam Houston State was the seventh in a row for the Matadors (19-8) and ninth in the past 10 matches.

Lian Kang Lu, Northridge’s first-year coach, attributed better serving, improved blocking and counterattacking in the victory over Oregon State.

“Our defense and blocking was much better this time than before,” Lu said. “The first time they (played) us, they played a quick transition game against us because our defense was not too good. But today, it was the other way around.”

Northridge had a .283 hitting percentage against Oregon State on Friday after being held to a .103 mark in the first meeting between the teams. In contrast, the Beavers hit .080 as a team compared to .219 in the first match.

The Matadors’ victory in the first game proved crucial. They led, 14-11, but won only after Oregon State had tied the score, 14-14.

“(Oregon State) seemed to lose a lot of confidence after the first game,” Lu said. “That win was very important to us.”

Clements, Northridge’s career kill leader, had 17 kills and a .371 hitting percentage against Oregon State and added 12 kills with a .667 percentage against Sam Houston State.

In the last 10 matches, the 5-foot-11 senior outside hitter is averaging 5.83 kills per game with a .415 hitting percentage.

Kristich, a teammate of Clements at La Habra High, had 14 blocks, including eight against Sam Houston State.

In the two matches, Aimee Stone had 19 kills and 25 digs, and Heather Anderson added 19 kills (.425 hitting percentage), 14 digs and six blocks. Northridge setter Kathleen Shannon had 63 assists, eight digs and six blocks.