SAN BERNARDINO – Cal State L.A.'s women's volleyball team opened its 2011 season with a disappointing five-set loss to No. 17 Western Washington and a three-set sweep over Dominican at the first day of the Cal State San Bernardino Coyote Labor Day Classic.

 

After coming up big late in the fourth set to extend the match, the Golden Eagles came up short in the fifth set of a 20-25, 25-16, 25-19, 24-26, 15-9 decision to Western Washington in its season opener in Coussoulis Arena. Cal State L.A. bounced back for a 25-18, 25-12, 25-21 win over Dominican later Friday afternoon.

 

The Golden Eagles will conclude the two-day tournament with matches against Western Oregon and Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

 

Reanna Hill had 14 kills to lead the Golden Eagles against Western Washington, while Samantha Potter had 13 kills. Marquis Mora had eight kills and a team-high eight blocks, while Kaylynne Taeatafa had 31 set assists, 22 digs, five kills and three blocks.

 

Marlayna Geary led Western Washington with 17 kills and 22 digs, while Emily Jepsen had 14 kills and four blocks.

 

The Vikings had a 60-54 edge in kills and an 11-9 advantage in blocks. Western Washington also hit at a .225 percentage to .193 for the Golden Eagles.

 

Cal State L.A. had nine service aces, including five from Hill and three from Mora, but also 16 service errors. Western Washington had four aces and eight errors.

 

The Golden Eagles erased an 18-15 deficit in the first set. A kill by Potter, a block by Mora and Briana Fields and back-to-back aces from Hill broke a 19-19 tie. A kill by Mora and an attack error by the Vikings gave the Golden Eagles the opening set.

 

The Golden Eagles then struggled throughout the next two sets while Western Washington was able to take the lead. Cal State L.A. trailed as late as 21-20 in the fourth set, but got a kill by Mora and three straight service aces by Hill to take a 24-21 lead. Western Washington scored the next three points to tie it, but, after a Cal State L.A. timeout, a kill by Mora and a block by Mora gave the Golden Eagles the fourth set.

 

Kills by Mora and Hill and a block by Mora and Taeatafa gave the Golden Eagles a 3-1 lead in the deciding set, but Western Washington went on a 9-3 run to take the lead for good. A kill by Natalia Gonzalez got the Golden Eagles to within 11-9, but Western Washington scored the next four points to close out the match.

 

Cal State L.A. breezed past Dominican to earn a split for its opening day. Taeatafa had eight kills, 26 set assists, two service aces and six digs to lead the way. Chelsea Hamilton had six kills and three digs, Gonzalez had five kills and one block, Kymberly Silveyra had five kills, three set assists and a team-high nine digs and Mora had five kills and three blocks.

 

The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 14-6 lead in the opening set after a kill by Mary Laupepa and cruised to the opening-set victory. A kill by Taeatafa closed out the set. Cal State L.A. rolled in the second set also, opening up a 17-7 lead after a run that included an ace by April Reyes. A solo block by Mora ended the set.

 

The Golden Eagles opened up a 23-14 lead in the final set after a service ace by Heather Rushton and eventually closed out the match on a kill by Silveyra.