Box Score

LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s women's volleyball team used a timely block to finally put away a talented and hard-working opponent Friday night.

 

The Golden Eagles overcame a stern challenge from Chico State and upended the Wildcats, 25-21, 17-25, 25-17, 26-24, in the California Collegiate Athletic Association opener for both schools Friday night in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (4-1, 1-0 CCAA) rebounded nicely from its loss last Saturday to Dixie State.

 

The Golden Eagles needed a strong effort down the stretch to finally put the match away against Chico State (4-2, 0-1 CCAA). The Wildcats fought back from a 19-15 deficit in the fourth set and got even at 24-24. Cal State L.A., though, got a kill from Chelsea Hamilton and a block from Hamilton and Marquis Mora to complete the win.

 

Natalia Gonzalez had 13 kills to lead the Golden Eagles, while Mora had 11 kills and four blocks. Hamilton had a strong match as well, coming into the match for the last two sets and pounding down eight kills in 12 swings for a .500 hitting percentage.

 

Jessica Leek had 12 kills to lead Chico State, while Makenzie Fahnestock had nine kills and six digs. Alex Shurtz had eight kills and six digs.

 

Cal State L.A. also got nine kills, 11 digs and four service aces from Briana Fields and 45 set assists, four kills and four service aces from Amrita Tuladhar.

 

Cal State L.A. had a 52-45 edge in kills and a 10-6 advantage in blocks. The Golden Eagles outhit the Wildcats, .254-.227 and also had 13 service aces.

 

The Golden Eagles led for most of the opening set and pulled away late thanks to an ace by Kassie Faulkner, a kill by Mora and a set-ending kill by Gonzalez.

 

Chico State, though, rebounded strongly in the second set to even the match. A kill by Leek made it 23-17 and the Wildcats took advantage of a pair of Cal State L.A. attack errors to put the set away.

 

Cal State L.A. regrouped to take the third set. The Golden Eagles took a quick 5-0 lead behind the serving of Tuladhar, only to see Chico State fight back to even it at 6-6. Cal State L.A., though, went on a big run to open up a 20-12 lead following a kill by Hamilton, an ace by Gonzalez and a block by Fields. After Chico State rallied to make it 22-17, a kill by Tuladhar, an ace by Zuzana Cizova and a kill by Mora ended the set.

 

Cal State L.A. trailed early in the fourth set, 11-9, but rode the serving of Tuladhar to take a 15-11 lead. Chico State steadily chipped away at the deficit and eventually tied it at 23-23 after a kill by Kayla Baumgardner. Chico State staved off one match point on a kill by Leek to tie it at 24-24, but Hamilton's kill gave Cal State L.A. its second match point and the block by Hamilton and Mora ended it.

 

Cal State L.A. will return to action on Saturday night with a home match against Cal State Stanislaus.