Postmatch Interview

SAN FRANCISCO -- Cal State LA's women's volleyball team staged an exciting comeback in the fourth set to complete a thrilling first-round win in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament.

The Golden Eagles rallied from deficits of 17-10 and 21-17 in the fourth set and completed a 25-23, 29-27, 18-25, 25-23 win over Sonoma State Thursday in The Swamp. Cal State LA (15-11) is the South's No. 4 seed and the Golden Eagles posted their second win this season over the North Division's No. 1 seed. The Golden Eagles edged the Seawolves in a five-set match on Oct. 28 in Los Angeles.

Cal State LA also won for the first time in the CCAA Championship Tournament since the tourney debuted in 2015. The Golden Eagles were beaten in four sets by the Seawolves in San Bernardino in 2016.

The Golden Eagles battled to take the first two sets in narrow fashion and then showed great resolve after dropping the third set and falling way behind in the fourth set. After falling behind 17-10 in the fourth, the Golden Eagles started chipping away at the deficit behind the serving of freshman Jeshmarie Suarez, who saved her best for last. Cal State LA eventually tied the set at 22-22 after a block by Daisy Crenshaw and Alejandra Negron and again at 23-23 after a Sonoma State attack error.

Suarez then stepped up and calmly delivered back-to-back aces to give the Golden Eagles the exciting victory.

Sifa Faaiu had 15 kills and 14 digs for the Golden Eagles, while CCAA Freshman of the Year Karla Santos had 14 kills and 17 digs, while Alejandra Negron had 14 kills and four blocks.

Calan Seitz had 20 kills for Sonoma State (20-8), while Kelsey McIntire had 13 kills and five blocks.

Suarez had 19 digs for the Golden Eagles, while Nicole Efseaff had 47 set assists.

Sonoma State had a 63-57 advantage in kills, while Cal State LA had a 10-6 edge in blocks. Cal State LA did a good job from the service line, recording six aces and only two errors, while Sonoma State had six aces and five errors. Santos had three aces, while Suarez had the two match-winning aces at the end.

The first two sets were extremely tight as the teams battled back and forth. Cal State LA moved into a 23-23 tie in the opening set before kills by Faaiu and Santos gave the Golden Eagles the frame.

Cal State LA had four set points in the second before taking a 2-0 lead. After the Seawolves tied it at 27-27, a kill by Negron and an attack error gave the Golden Eagles the 2-0 lead.

Sonoma State, though, regrouped and took the third set after jumping out to a quick 17-8 lead.

Cal State LA then found itself down early in the fourth set, trailing at one point, 17-10. Kills by Santos and Negron got the Golden Eagles back in it at 17-14 and they stayed within striking distance until another push trailing 22-19. A kill by Crenshaw, an attack error and a block by Crenshaw and Negron tied it at 22-22 and ultimately set the stage for the late serving heroics by Suarez.

Cal State LA advances to the semi-finals where the Golden Eagles will face North No. 3 seed Chico State. The Wildcats posted a four-set win over South No. 2 Cal State San Marcos in the opening match on Thursday.