TARLETON -- Cal State LA's women's volleyball team began its 2019 season with a tough battle in a match between nationally-ranked teams.

The No. 19 Golden Eagles had their chances to extend their first match of the season, but No. 6 Minnesota-Duluth came up big down the stretch to close out a 25-21, 25-17, 25-23 victory at Tarleton State. Cal State LA (0-1) will face two other nationally-ranked teams during this three-day tournament that was formed after Hurricane Dorian caused the cancellation of the tournament scheduled at Palm Beach Atlantic.

Karla Santos led the Golden Eagles with 14 kills and was instrumental in giving Cal State LA a chance to send the match to a fourth set. Santos had five kills late in the third set, including three in a row that turned a 19-17 deficit into a 20-19 lead. Another Santos kill and a solo block by Daisy Crenshaw gave the Golden Eagles a 22-20 lead, but Minnesota-Duluth scored the next three points. A Santos kill tied it at 23-23, but back-to-back kills by Minnesota's Meredith Sutton closed out the match.

Santos also had nine digs and her team's only service ace. Julia Azevedo had eight kills and five blocks, Mickayla Sherman had six kills and Crenshaw had a team-high six blocks. Laisa Maeda had 23 set assists and Jeshmarie Suarez had a team-high 11 digs.

Kate Berg had 13 kills for Minnesota-Duluth, while Sutton finished with 10. Emily Bales had 32 set assists.

Minnesota Duluth had a 41-35 edge in kills and both teams hit at a .204 hitting percentage. The Golden Eagles had an 18-6 edge in blocks, but Minnesota-Duluth had a 5-1 edge in service aces and the Golden Eagles made nine service errors to only two for Duluth.

The Golden Eagles started the match well and jumped out to a 4-1 lead. Azevedo and Victoria Duarte combined on a block and a kill by Santos got the Golden Eagles off to a quick start. A kill by Azevedo and another block by Azevedo and Duarte made it 4-1. Minnesota-Duluth, though, regrouped and built a 16-13 advantage before kills by Crenshaw and Sherman, an attack error and a block by Crenshaw and Santos gave the Golden Eagles a 17-16 lead. Minnesota-Duluth scored the next three points and went on to take the opening set.

The Golden Eagles fell behind early in the second set and never could recover. In the third set, the Golden Eagles battled back impressively from an early 7-2 deficit and tied it at 14-14 after a kill by Alejandra Negron. The Golden Eagles trailed again before the late heroics by Santos gave Cal State LA a chance.

The Golden Eagles will return to action on Friday with matches against No. 10 Tarleton State and No. 14 Rockhurst.