LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s women's volleyball team moved into first place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, but the Golden Eagles had to survive a five-set battle with Cal State Dominguez Hills in front of a spirited crowd in the Eagles Nest.
 
The Golden Eagles needed to rally from a 2-1 set deficit and did just that in a 25-18, 21-25, 30-32, 25-18, 15-8 win over the Toros on Tuesday night. Cal State L.A. (8-2, 6-1 CCAA) moved one-half game ahead of idle Cal State San Bernardino with the win.
 
Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-10, 0-7 CCAA) gave the Golden Eagles everything they could handle – and then some – and just fell short in its upset bid. The Toros battled through six set points in an incredible third set and ultimately prevailed, 32-30, to take a 2-1 lead. The Toros then jumped out to a 13-9 lead in the fourth set and led as a late 15-14 before the Golden Eagles were finally able to gain back control of the match.
 
The fifth set was tied at 8-8 before the Golden Eagles won the final seven points of the match, six of them behind the serving of Kelsey Molnar.
 
The difference in the match ultimately came down to blocking. The Golden Eagles had a 12-2 edge in blocks over the final two sets and a 21-3 advantage for the match. Cal State L.A.'s 42 block assists were a new program single-match record.
 
Iona Lofrano overcame a slow start and had a team-high 15 kills for the Golden Eagles, while Loreal Carter had the second triple-double of her career with 14 kills, 10 digs and 10 blocks. Mia Alcaraz had a team-high 11 blocks and JamieAnn Bero had 10 blocks and just missed a double-double with nine kills.
 
Alijah Gunsaulis had a match-high 16 kills for the Toros, while Hailey Smith had a double-double with 13 kills and 13 digs. Taryn McCullouch had 10 kills and Leilani Martinez had a match-high 23 digs.
 
Kymberly Silveyra had eight kills, three aces, nine digs and four blocks, while April Reyes had a team-high 16 digs. Molnar had 44 set assists, 12 digs and five blocks in addition to her clutch serving in the final set.
 
After splitting the first two sets, the Golden Eagles and Toros put on quite a show during a dramatic third set. After trailing, 20-12,  the Golden Eagles stormed back and pulled to within 20-18, only to see Cal State Dominguez Hills regain the momentum and take a 24-20 advantage.
 
The Golden Eagles then scored the next five points to take a 25-24 lead, getting to set point after an ace by Silveyra. The Toros staved off six straight set points, the final one after a kill by Dana Brown to tie it at 30-30. A kill by Gunsaulus and an attack error gave the Toros the set.
 
Cal State Dominguez Hills then put a major scare into the Golden Eagles in the fourth set, moving out to leads of 10-6 and 13-9 and leading for the last time at 15-13. An attack error and an ace by Colby Joseph tied it at 15-15 and Cal State L.A. took the lead for good after back-to-back blocks by Bero and Carter. After the Toros cut it to 17-16, the Golden Eagles got a block by Bero and Lofrano, an ace from Carter, another kill by Lofrano and an attack error to open up a 22-16 lead. A block by Molnar and Bero got the Golden Eagles to set point and a service error ultimately ended the set.
 
The fifth set was tight early and a kill by Smith tied it at 8-8. Cal State L.A., though, then scored the next seven points to take the match. An attack error, a block by Carter and Alcaraz, a kill by Silveyra, two straight blocks by Carter and Alcaraz, another kill by Silveyra and a Cal State Dominguez Hills attack error finally ended the match.
 
Cal State L.A. will play its next two matches on the road, beginning with a contest at Cal State Stanislaus on Friday.