Box Score POMONA -- On a record-breaking night for Cal State L.A.'s
Marquis Mora, the Golden Eagles made sure in a five-set thriller that the evening would be worth celebrating.
Cal State L.A. had been winless in four previous five-set matches this season, but used a dominating performance in the fifth set Thursday of a 25-17, 14-25, 26-24, 22-25, 15-7 victory over Cal Poly Pomona in Kellogg Gym. Cal State L.A. (6-9, 4-4 CCAA) snapped a three-match losing streak and finally put an end to their frustrations in five-set matches.
Mora collected six blocks on Thursday and became the program's all-time block leader. She now has 419 blocks, which broke the old mark of 416 set by Caryn Sale. She also set the new standard for block assists with 355, which is one more than Sale's old mark of 354.
Ironically, on Mora's big night, it was the blocking of
Loreal Carter,
Reanna Hill and
Sukhjit Athwal that keyed a match-deciding 11-0 run in the final set. The Golden Eagles turned a 4-3 deficit into a 14-4 lead thanks to five blocks, two kills each by Athwal and Carter, an ace by
Alexandra Bura and a bad set. Carter finished off the match with a kill.
Carter had another outstanding match with 13 kills and nine blocks and the Golden Eagles used a well-rounded effort to post the win. Athwal had nine kills and five blocks, Mora had eight kills and six blocks and Hill had five kills and nine blocks. After recording a season-high 23 blocks on Saturday in a five-set loss to Sonoma State, the Golden Eagles added 15 more in their win on Thursday.
Diana Lake had 15 kills and 14 digs for Cal Poly Pomona (7-8, 3-5 CCAA), while Lauren Jones added 11 kills.
Cal Poly Pomona had a 63-50 edge in kills, but the Golden Eagles had a .170-.162 advantage in hitting percentage. Cal State L.A. also had an effective night serving, recording eight aces and nine errors compared to just two aces and eight errors by the Broncos. The big edge for the Golden Eagles, though, once again, came in blocking. The Golden Eagles enjoyed a 15-5 advantage in that category and it made all the difference.
The Golden Eagles started well and breezed to a win in the opening set. The Golden Eagles got a kill by
Samantha Potter, an ace by Hill, a kill by Mora and another ace by Hill to open up a 20-13 lead and never looked back. A kill by Hill ended the frame.
After Cal Poly Pomona returned the favor with a lopsided win in the second set, Cal State L.A. survived a tight battle in the third set. The Golden Eagles fought off a set point at 24-23 and then got to set point after a Cal Poly Pomona attack error and then wrapped up the set with a block by Hill and Carter.
The Broncos came back strong in the fourth set to send the match to a deciding fifth set.
Cal State L.A. trailed, 4-3, before taking control of the match by winning the next 11 points. A block by Athwal and Hill got the serve back for Bura and she delivered in a big way. A kill by Carter gave the Golden Eagles a 5-4 edge and an ace by Bura made it 6-4. A block by Athwal and Hill, a kill by Athwal, a block by Carter and Hill, a block by Athwal and Hill and a block by Carter and Hill stretched the lead to 11-4. After a bad set made it 12-4, kills by Athwal and Carter got the Golden Eagles to match point at 14-4. Cal Poly Pomona saved three match points, but a kill by Carter gave the Golden Eagles the win.
Cal State L.A. will return to action on Saturday with a match at Humboldt State.
