LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s women's volleyball team opened California Collegiate Athletic Association play with a big victory over a nationally-ranked opponent.
 
The Golden Eagles won the first two sets and then held off a determined Sonoma State to beat the No. 22 Seawolves, 25-23, 25-21, 19-25, 25-22 Friday night in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (3-1, 1-0 CCAA) was swept by the Seawolves last season.
 
Iona Lofrano had 19 kills and 15 digs to lead the way, while JamieAnn Bero had 13 kills and seven blocks and Loreal Carter contributed 10 kills and 12 digs.
 
Caylie Seitz led Sonoma State (2-3, 0-1 CCAA) with 22 kills, while Madelyn Densberger had 11 kills and 19 digs.
 
Cal State L.A. freshman Kelsey Molnar also had an outstanding match, recording 44 set assists and also coming up with a pair of strong serving runs in the fourth and deciding set. She served for eight points in the final set for the Golden Eagles.
 
The Golden Eagles played an inspired match and things swung in their favor after a lengthy and pivotal rally in the second set. With the score tied at 16-16, Kymberly Silveyra ran beyond the endline and near the end of the Cal State L.A. bench to keep a Sonoma State kill attempt in play. Carter was then able to bump the ball from well beyond the end-line back over onto Sonoma State's side and the Seawolves later hit the ball out.
 
Cal State L.A. went on to win the set, 25-21, to take a 2-0 lead and ultimately won the match.
 
The Golden Eagles had a slim 55-53 edge in kills and hit at a .221 clip to .179 for the Seawolves. Cal State L.A. had four aces and nine service errors, but the Golden Eagles had many serves that proved difficult for Sonoma State to return cleanly.
 
Cal State L.A. had a significant 12.5-2 edge in blocks, led by Bero's seven. Freshman Mia Alcaraz contributed five blocks, while Lofrano, Silveyra and Carter had three each.
 
The Golden Eagles got the match off to a promising start by rallying from a 21-17 deficit to win the opening set. The Golden Eagles still trailed 23-21, but a kill by Lofrano got the serve back to Cal State L.A. and senior Colby Joseph served out the set. An ace by Joseph tied it at 23-23 and back-to-back kills by Lofrano ended the frame.
 
After taking a 17-16 lead on Silveyra's and Carter's outstanding play in the second set, the Golden Eagles made it 18-16 after a kill by Bero and never trailed again. A kill by Carter made it 23-20, a bad set by the Seawolves made it 24-20 and a kill by Lofrano ended the set at 25-21.
 
Sonoma State overcame an early 10-9 deficit and took the third set, 25-19.
 
Cal State L.A., though, behind Molnar's serving, took a quick 6-0 lead in the fourth set. The Golden Eagles extended the advantage to 15-8 after a kill by Bero, but Sonoma State steadily chipped away and tied it at 20-20 after a block by Densberger.
 
A pair of kills by Silveyra and one by Lofrano pushed the Golden Eagles to a 23-20 lead and a kill by Silveyra made it 24-21. A kill by Densberger saved one match point, but a kill by Lofrano ended the match at 25-22.
 
Cal State L.A. will return to action on Saturday with a 1 p.m. match against San Francisco State.