LOS ANGELES – Cal State LA's women's volleyball team made its first home match of the season a triumphant one with a spirited win over Cal Poly Pomona.
 
The Golden Eagles, playing in front of a lively crowd, shook off a slow start and roared to a 25-22, 25-19, 25-15 win in a California Collegiate Athletic Association match in the University Gym. Cal State LA (6-5, 2-1 CCAA) hit a season-best .385 in the match and took control late in the opening set.
 
The Golden Eagles had played their first 10 matches of 2016 away from home.
 
After falling behind, 17-11 in the first set, the Golden Eagles stormed back to take the opening frame and then maintained a high level of play throughout the rest of the match.
 
JamieAnn Bero had 13 kills and three blocks for Cal State LA, while Alma Serna had nine kills and seven blocks. Lauren Gomez and Taylor Kushner had eight kills each.
 
Desi Martin led Cal Poly Pomona (4-7, 0-2 CCAA) with 10 kills and one block.
 
Cal State LA had a 44-36 advantage in kills and a big 11-3 edge in blocks. The Golden Eagles outhit the Broncos, .358 to .185. Cal State LA also had a big edge in serving, recording eight aces to two for the Broncos.
 
Kelsey Molnar, the conference leader in aces, added two more to her total on Friday along with 40 set assists, six digs and three blocks. Gomez also had two aces, while Serna, Bero, Kushner and Lexi Resch had one ace each.
 
The Golden Eagles started slowly and trailed, 19-15, before going on a match-turning 8-1 run that turned the tide. A Cal Poly Pomona attack error started the run and was followed by a kill by Molnar, an ace by Serna and a kill by Bero that tied it at 19-19. After Cal Poly Pomona took a 20-19 lead after a kill by Karah Griffiths, kills by Bero, Sifa Faaiu and Bero again and a block by Kushner and Bero put the Golden Eagles up, 23-20. Kills by Bero resulted in the final two points of the set for Cal State LA.
 
The Golden Eagles carried the momentum in the second set and scored the first five points on Molnar's serve on their way to a 17-9 lead. Cal Poly Pomona got as close as 22-18, but a kill by Serna and ace by Gomez got the Golden Eagles to set point. A kill by Faaiu closed out the set.
 
Cal State LA followed a similar path in the third set, jumping out to a 16-9 lead after a kill by Kushner and taking a 20-11 advantage after a block by Serna. A block by Molnar made it 23-13, a kill by Mia Alcaraz got the Golden Eagles to match point at 24-15 and an ace by Molnar put the final touches on the conference win.
 
Cal State LA will return to action on Saturday with a home match against Cal State San Bernardino beginning at 7 p.m.