SAN FRANCISCO -- The Cal State East Bay volleyball team dropped its road match against local rival San Francisco State in four sets on Saturday night (17-25, 17-25, 25-22, 17-25).

The Gators out-shot the Pioneers .280 to .222 for the match to improve their record to 3-6 and 1-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The service line was not friendly to East Bay, which fell to 2-8 and 0-2 in CCAA play. They totaled 11 service errors and nine reception errors at The Swamp.

The Pioneers got off to a hot start in the first set behind freshman Kiki Leuteneker, but a 7-0 run by the Gators midway through the frame gave them a 15-9 lead. East Bay couldn't manage to cut into the deficit in an eight-point loss. The home team kept the momentum and won game two comfortably, as they jumped out to an 8-0 lead and never trailed. 

East Bay rallied in the third set to avoid the sweep. They took a 14-9 lead behind strong play at the net by Deja Thompson. SFSU countered with a 4-0 run, and the team went back and forth until it was tied 21-21. A pair of Gator errors gave the Pioneers the lead, then Thompson scored a kill to make it 24-21, and setter Kylie Fraga went over on two for the winning point.

CSUEB grabbed a 5-0 lead in the fourth set, giving themselves a chance to force a fifth frame. The teams traded scoring runs, and once again it was tight near the end. Clinging to an 18-17 lead, the Gators finished the match off with a 7-0 run. 

Leuteneker led East Bay with 11 kills and posted seven digs. Michaela Gardner, Kiani Rayford, and Julie Navarro notched seven kills each, and Thompson add five with a .417 attack percentage. 

Fraga tallied 29 assists to go along with six kills, and Veronica Fabiano turned in seven assists. A trio of Pioneers reached double-digit digs, led by Angie Maina with 25. Darlene Lee added 14, and Brandi Brucato finished with 10.

Next up, the Pioneers return home to face Stanislaus State on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. as they look to capture their first CCAA victory.