Box Score LOS ANGELES -- Cal State L.A.'s women's volleyball team made its return home a triumphant one Wednesday night in a four-set win over Cal State Dominguez Hills.
The Golden Eagles were unable to take advantage of a pair of match points in the third set, but fiinished the fourth set strong in a 25-22, 25-17, 25-27, 25-21 California Collegiate Athetic Association victory over the Toros in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (12-13, 10-8 CCAA) won its second straight match and was able to salvage a split of its two matches with Cal State Dominguez Hills (9-16, 7-11 CCAA).
In the first meeting between the two teams, the Toros came up big down the stretch in three tight sets. The Golden Eagles turned the tables on Wednesday and were able to win the big points in three of the four frames. Cal State L.A. was unable to convert on two match points in the third set and was trailing late in the fourth set before coming on strong to conclude the match.
Marquis Mora had a big match for the Golden Eagles with 16 kills, seven blocks, two service aces and a hitting percentage of .538.
Sukhjit Athwal had 15 kills and 11 digs and
Loreal Carter had 12 kills and five blocks.
Whitney Lee had a strong match for the Toros with 18 kills, while Abbey Prusa added 10 kills, including two straight in the third set that sent the match into a fourth frame.
Cal State L.A. had a 62-51 edge in kills and outhit the Toros, .229 - .180 The Golden Eagles also had a 10-9 advantage in blocks.
Alexandra Bura had 45 set assists and
April Reyes had an outstanding match with 30 digs.
The Golden Eagles captured the big points in the opening set to grab the early lead. The set was tied at 20-20 before kills by Athwal and Bura gave the Golden Eagles the lead for good. Two straight blocks by Athwal and Mora got the Golden Eagles to set point at 24-21 and a block by Mora and Carter ended the frame.
Cal State L.A. jumped out to a 11-5 lead in the second set after kills by
Samantha Potter and Athwal, but had to survive a Cal State Dominguez Hills rally that sliced the margin to 19-17. The Golden Eagles responded by winning the final six points to wrap up the set. A kill by Mora started the run and kills by Potter and Athwal made it 22-17. A block by Mora and Athwal, a kill by Mora made it 24-17 and the set ended on an attack error.
The Golden Eagles made a strong bid to sweep the match and got match points at 24-23 after a kill by Mora and at 25-24 after a kill by
Kymberly Silveyra. The Toros, though, won the set after back-to-back kills by Prusa with the score tied at 25-25.
The Golden Eagles trailed 18-16 in the fourth set before a kill by Hill and an ace by Reyes tied it at 18-18. The set was tied a final time at 19-19 before kills by Mora and Carter and a block by Mora and Carter made it 22-19. The Golden Eagles got to match point after a kill by Athwal and finished the contest after a kill by Mora.
Cal State L.A. will return to action on Friday with a home match against Humboldt State.