LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s women's volleyball team posted its second straight three-set sweep Saturday night in the Eagles Nest, but Cal State East Bay made the Golden Eagles work for it.
The Golden Eagles survived a stern challenge from the Pioneers in the third set before finally prevailing, 25-23, 25-14, 32-30, in a California Collegiate Athletic Association match. Cal State L.A. (7-2, 5-1 CCAA) won for the fifth time in its last six matches and remained in a first-place tie atop the CCAA.
Iona Lofrano led the way with 20 kills and a hitting percentage of .400, while
Kymberly Silveyra had 15 kills and hit at a .583 percentage.
Loreal Carter contributed nine kills and six digs and setter
Kelsey Molnar had 48 set assists, 10 digs and three blocks.
Amber Hall led Cal State East Bay (5-6, 2-4 CCAA) with 13 kills and six digs.
Cal State L.A. hit a season-best .404 in the match, including a sizzling .696 in the second set when the Golden Eagles had 17 kills and only one error in 23 attacks. They hit at a .435 clip in the tight third set.
The Golden Eagles had a 57-36 edge in kills and a 6.5 – 3.0 advantage in blocks. Both teams had three service aces, although the Golden Eagles had 10 serving errors to just four for the Pioneers.
The highlight of the match came in an entertaining third set that saw both teams have chances to take it. Cal State East Bay fought off two match points before Cal State L.A. stared down four straight set points. The Golden Eagles got two more match points and finally finished it on the second one – and fourth overall - after a kill by Carter.
Cal State L.A. started slowly and dropped the first four points of the match, but the Golden Eagles quickly put things together. The Golden Eagles still trailed, 21-17, before making a run to get back into the opening set. A service error started the rally and an ace by
JamieAnn Bero made it 21-19. A kill by Silveyra made it 21-20 and a kill by Lofrano tied it at 21-21. The Golden Eagles trailed for a final time at 23-22, but a kill by Silveyra, a Cal State East Bay attack error and a kill by Lofrano ended the set.
Cal State L.A. seemingly couldn't miss in its red-hot second set. The Golden Eagles trailed only once, at 2-1, but eventually took control of the set. Leading 18-13, the Golden Eagles used a service error, a block by Molnar,
Mia Alcaraz and Silveyra and kills by Lofrano and Molnar to take a 22-13 lead. Back-to-back kills by Silveyra and an attack error by the Pioneers ended the set.
The third set featured some exciting volleyball. Cal State East Bay fought back from an early 11-6 deficit and eventually built a 23-20 lead after a block by Micah Hammond and Kiani Rayford. The Golden Eagles, though, fought back behind a kill by Lofrano, a block by Bero and Lofrano and another kill by Lofrano to tie it at 23-23. After an attack error by the Pioneers, the Golden Eagles had their first match points, only to see it disappear after a serving error.
A kill by Bero got the Golden Eagles to a second match point, but a kill by Ashia Joseph tied it at 25-25. A kill by Hall got the Pioneers to their first set point, but a kill by Lofrano tied it at 26-26. The Pioneers got another set point after a Golden Eagle serving error, but a kill by Silveyra tied it again at 27-27.
The teams then traded serving errors before a kill by Hall made it 29-28 for Cal State East Bay. This time, a kill by Carter knotted things at 29-29. A kill by Lofrano gave the Golden Eagles another match point, but a kill by Samantha Bruno tied it at 30-30.
A kill by Carter gave the Golden Eagles their final match point and another kill by Carter finally ended the battle.
Cal State L.A. will return to action on Tuesday night with a home match against Cal State Dominguez Hills.
