LOS ANGELES – Cal State LA's women's volleyball team saw a potential California Collegiate Athletic Association victory slip away Saturday night against Cal State East Bay.
 
The Golden Eagles were unable to convert on four match points in the third set and the Pioneers roared back to stun the Golden Eagles, 25-27, 22-25, 27-25, 25-23, 15-13 in a marathon match in Los Angeles. Cal State LA (10-6, 6-2 CCAA) saw a five-match winning streak snapped, while Cal State East Bay (7-9, 3-5 CCAA) was able to salvage a weekend split.
 
All five sets were close, but after dropping the third set, the Golden Eagles seemed to be fighting an uphill battle in each of the final two sets.
 
JamieAnn Bero had 20 kills and three blocks for Cal State LA, while Lauren Gomez had 17 kills and 20 digs. Daisy Portillo had 12 kills.
 
Kiki Leuteneker had 19 kills and 15 digs for the Pioneers, while Deja Thompson, Kathy McKiernan and Taylor Elliott had 11 kills each.
 
Kelsey Molnar had 60 set assists, four kills, three blocks and 11 digs for the Golden Eagles, while Chloe Clancy had a team-high 25 digs. Erie Williams had nine kills and two blocks.
 
Cal State LA had a narrow 68-67 edge in kills and both teams hit at a .231 percentage. The Pioneers had eight service aces and 14 errors, while the Golden Eagles had five aces and eight errors. Cal State East Bay had an 8-6 edge in blocks.
 
The Golden Eagles fought off one set point in the first set before taking the opening frame on a block by Mia Alcaraz and Bero.
 
After the Pioneers rallied to forge a 22-22 tie in the second set, a block by Bero, ace by Gomez and a ball-handling error on the Pioneers gave the Golden Eagles the set and a 2-0 lead.
 
Cal State LA built a 23-19 lead after a kill by Bero and moved to match point at 24-20 after another kill by Bero. Cal State East Bay, though, scored the next five points to stay alive. A pair of kills by McKiernan and one from Leuteneker made it 24-23 and Cal State East Bay pulled ahead after an attack error and ball-handling error made it 25-24. Cal State LA got a kill from Portillo to even things at 25-25, but back-to-back kills from McKiernan gave the Pioneers the set.
 
Cal State East Bay led for most of the fourth set, although Cal State LA made a run to tie the set at 20-20 after a kill by Gomez. Two more kills by Gomez helped the Golden Eagles stay close and a kill by Molnar kept the Golden Eagles within 24-23 before a kill by McKiernan evened the match.
 
Cal State East Bay kept its momentum into the fifth set and took a quick 5-2 lead after an ace by Darlene Lee. Cal State LA pulled even at 9-9 after a kill by Williams, but Cal State East Bay scored the next three points to take the lead for good. Cal State East Bay got to match point at 14-10 after an ace by Brandi Brucato, but kills by Bero and Gomez and another kill by Bero made it 14-13 before a kill by Leuteneker gave the Pioneers the win.
 
Cal State LA will return to action with a home match against UC San Diego on Tuesday at 7 p.m.