LOS ANGELES -- Although the stakes weren't the same, the results were frustratingly similiar for Cal State LA's volleyball team Thursday in its second match of the day at the 2019 D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase.

The No. 23 Golden Eagles, after beating Alaska in three sets earlier in the day, fell in a five-set heartbreaker to No. 25 Central Washington Thursday in University Gym. Cal State LA (2-4) also lost in five sets to Central Washington in a first-round NCAA Tournament match. The Golden Eagles took a 2-1 lead on Thursday, but Central Washington rallied for a 23-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-18, 15-13 victory in a battle between two of the region's top teams.

Cal State LA led for most of the fifth set and held a 10-7 advantage before Central Washington mounted a final comeback. The Wildcats eventually tied it at 11-11 and took a 12-11 lead before the Golden Eagles tied it at 12-12. The Wildcats then won the next two points to get to match point, and, after the Golden Eagles saved one of them, the Wildcats closed out the match.

Karla Santos had 23 kills and 19 digs for the Golden Eagles, while Julia Azevedo had 17 kills and 12 digs. Mickayla Sherman had 11 kills and 11 digs.

Bridgette Webb led four Wildcats in double digit kills with 15, while Ashley Kaufman had 13 and Makala Swart and Diana Fa'amausili had 12 each.

Jeshmarie Suarez had 20 digs and four service aces, while Laisa Maeda had 31 set assists and Shea McGovern had 22.

Cal State LA had a slim 65-61 edge in kills, while Central Washington had a 12-7.5 advantage in blocks. Cal State LA had 13 service aces to 11 errors, while Central Washington had four aces and four errors. The Wildcats hit at a .244 percentage, while Cal State LA hit at a .184 clip.

Cal State LA led by as many as seven points in the first set and held off a late bid by the Wildcats to steal the frame. The Golden Eagles saw an 18-11 lead evaporate and Central Washington tied it at 23-23 before a kill by Alejandra Negron and an ace by Suarez ended the set.

The Golden Eagles fell into a big hole in the second set and trailed early, 12-4. Cal State LA sliced a 20-10 deficit to 20-15, but couldn't get closer than four points for the remainder of the set.

Cal State LA built a 23-14 lead in the third set following a kill by Sherman and, after Central Washington closed to 24-20, a kill by Santos gave the Golden Eagles the set.

The Golden Eagles, though, were unable to put any pressure on the Wildcats in the fourth set, falling behind 7-0 and 10-1 and the deficit proved too big to erase. Kills by Maeda and Daisy Crenshaw pulled the Golden Eagles to within 22-18, but Central Washington closed out the frame to send the match into a fifth set.

Cal State LA took a 9-6 lead after an ace by Tori Galloway and had a 10-7 lead after a kill by Sherman. A kill by Santos made it 11-9, but the Wildcats scored the next three points to take the lead. A ball-handling error tied it at 12-12, but a kill by Fa'amausili and a block by Bridgette Webb and Ashley Kaufman got Central Washington to match point at 14-12. A kill by Santos made it 14-13, but a kill by Kaufman gave the Wildcats the win.

Earlier,  the Golden Eagles started well and held off a challenge from Alaska in the third set of a 25-14, 25-15, 25-22 victory in University Gym. Central Washington beat Cal State East Bay, 3-0, in the first match of the day and Cal State East Bay came back to beat Alaska, 3-0, in the third contest of the day.

Santos had 13 kills and 14 digs in the win over Alaska, while Alejandra Negron added 11 kills and six digs. 

Cal State LA had a 42-25 edge in kills and had seven serving aces. Alaska had a 7-3 advantage in blocks.

Maeda had 29 set assists and eight digs, while Suarez had three service aces and seven digs.

The Golden Eagles jumped out to big leads in each set. A kill by Negron gave them a 17-9 advantage and a service ace by Jessica Kaeka made it 23-13. A kill by Crenshaw, who had four kills and two blocks, got the Golden Eagles to set point and a service error ended it.

Two kills by Santos and one by Shelby Grubbs gave the Golden Eagles an early 12-4 lead in the second set. Alaska got as close as 21-15, but a kill by Grubbs, a bad set, a kill by Santos and an attack error ended the set.

Cal State LA jumped out to a 16-10 in the final set, but Alaska got within one point at 19-18 and 20-19. Kills by Negron and Santos and an attack error gave the Golden Eagles some breathing room, but Alaska got within 24-22 before a kill by Santos ended the match.

Tournament play continues on Friday with matches beginning at noon. Cal State LA will face Azusa Pacific in the final match of the day at 7:30 p.m.