Box Score CARSON, Calif. --- The Cal State East Bay volleyball team dropped its third straight match in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play with a 3-1 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills on Friday night (25-12, 27-29, 25-21, 25-18). It was the first conference victory this year for the Toros (8-6, 1-5 CCAA).

The Pioneers (6-8, 2-4 CCAA) were out-hit .333 to .182 for the match. Suzy Ni Xu led the team with 14 kills in the defeat. Amber Hall added 10 kills and 10 digs. Ashia Joseph notched 36 assists along with four kills and eight digs. Despite recording eight team blocks, East Bay had no answer for for CSUDH's Alijah Gunsaulus (22 kills) and Whitney Lee (21 kills).

Angie Maina started two sets at libero and led the team with 14 digs. Kitona Offord finished with six kills and four total blocks, a team high. Fellow middle Samantha Bruno also posted six kills. Katie Allen added four kills and four digs. 

The first set started with back-and-forth action, and the score was tight early. However, with the Toros leading 8-7, they managed to win 14 of the next 17 points to run away with the first frame. Nine of those points came off Toro kills as the home team hit a remarkable .500 in the first set (16 kills, one attack error).

Despite the one-sided defeat, the Pioneers came out and battled in the second set. They got out to a 14-11 lead at the midway point, then held off the late Dominguez Hills rally. With the score tied 23-23, the Toros scored to make it set point. Allen answered with a clutch kill to tie it back up, and the teams continued into extra points. Both squads had two shots at set point before the Pioneers finally capitalized. Trailing 27-26, they forced a pair of attack errors before Joseph landed the game-winner with a service ace. 

Unfortunately, that would be the high point of the match for East Bay. They jumped out to a 6-1 lead coming out of intermission, and kept the score tight until late in the third set. The Pioneers had a chance to grab the momentum, but with the score tied 17-17, the Toros won four straight points and held on for the 25-21 win. 

The fourth set wasn't as tight as the third as Dominguez closed out the victory. They won seven of nine points to open the frame and never trailed the rest of the way. The Pioneers hung around, went on a 7-2 run of their own, and tied the score at 17-17 after consecutive aces by Hall. However, the Toros rallied to win the next seven points as Lee notched three straight kills to put East Bay away for good. 

The Pioneers continue their first road trip of CCAA play tomorrow night with a 7 p.m. match at Cal State L.A. 


Photos of Pioneer Volleyball are available at KLCfotos.com/CSUEB