LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s women's volleyball team continues to have its troubles in five-set matches.

 

For the second straight contest, the Golden Eagles found themselves leading a nationally-ranked opponent, only to fall to No. 4 UC San Diego, 22-25, 25-18, 20-25, 26-24, 16-14, Friday in a California Collegiate Athletic Association match in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (5-5, 1-2 CCAA) had two match points in the fifth set only to see the Tritons storm back and win the final four points of the contest. Cal State L.A. is now 0-4 in five-set matches this season.

 

UC San Diego (11-1, 3-1 CCAA) had lost all three matches to Cal State L.A. last season, two of them in five sets.

 

Gabriela Bulawczyk had 12 kills and 19 digs for the Golden Eagles, while Chelsea Hamilton had 11 kills and Marquis Mora had 10 kills and five blocks. Sylvia Schmidt had 17 kills for UC San Diego, while Katie Condon had 14 kills and Lauren Bradley had 12 kills.

 

Both teams struggled from the service line. Cal State L.A. had seven aces and 14 service errors, while UC San Diego had 10 aces and 22 errors. The Tritons had a 60-51 advantage in kills and an 11-9 edge in blocks.

 

The Golden Eagles, after trailing early in the fifth set, grabbed an 11-8 lead after a UC San Diego service error, a kill by Bulawczyk and a block by Mary Laupepa and Kaylynne De La Rosa. The Golden Eagles got their next two points on UC San Diego service errors and then got to match point at 14-12 after a kill by Hamilton.

 

The Tritons, though, staved off the first match point on a kill by Bradley and pulled even at 14-14 on a block by Condon and Bradley. The Tritons got to match point on a bad set and then won it on a kill by Condon.

 

Neither team was able to maintain control throughout an evenly-played match. UC San Diego jumped out to an early 17-11 edge in the first set, only to see Cal State L.A. storm back. The Golden Eagles trailed, 22-20, but ran off five straight points on a kill by Marquis Mora, a kill by Zuzana Cizova, a block by Mora and Kassie Faulkner, a kill by Cizova and an attack error by UC San Diego.

 

The Tritons jumped out to a big lead in the second set as well, only this time they held the advantage. UC San Diego built an 18-10 advantage and, after a five-point run by the Golden Eagles closed the deficit to 18-13, regained momentum to even the match.

 

Cal State L.A. trailed once again in the third set, but fought back to take the lead. UC San Diego led as late as 19-18, but two kills by Bulawczyk and one by Hamilton gave the Golden Eagles the lead for good. After UC San Diego pulled to within 21-20, an attack error, an ace by Hamilton and back-to-back kills by Bulawczyk gave the Golden Eagles the set.

 

Cal State L.A. led as late as 18-17 in the fourth set, but UC San Diego moved out to a 24-21 lead after an ace by Karen Reis. The Golden Eagles fought back to tie the set after a service error, a kill by Annie Kim and an ace by Hamilton, but a service error and an attack error gave the set to the Tritons and set the stage for the fifth and deciding set.

 

Cal State L.A. will return to action with a home match on Saturday night against CCAA newcomer Cal State East Bay.