ARCATA, Calif. -- The annual trip up to Arcata is a tough task for every California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) volleyball squad. On Tuesday, Cal State East Bay experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to escape Lumberjack Arena with a win, as Humboldt State handed the Pioneers a four-set defeat. 

The Pioneers struggled with offensive efficiency throughout the evening. They hit .076 for the match and did not post a percentage above .088 in any single set. They finished with 40 total kills and 29 attack errors, while the Jacks totaled 54 kills to go along with a .174 hitting percentage.

One bright spot for East Bay was its defense at the net. Led by Deja Thompson (six blocks), Lindsey Ray (five blocks), and Kathy McKiernan (four blocks), the Pioneers tallied a season-high 12 total blocks.

Despite a sub-par showing offensively for the Pioneers, they managed to keep the scores close. After an opening game in which Humboldt held a decent lead nearly the entire way en route to a 7-point win, the last three sets came down to the final few points.

In the second game, the CSUEB defense held Humboldt to a -.057 attack percentage as the Jacks notched just seven kills. The score was tied 17-17 in that frame before the Pioneers finished on an 8-4 run to even up the match at one set apiece.

As is often the case, the third game proved to be the most crucial. The Jacks jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead, but East Bay rallied back to grab the advantage. HSU was ahead 22-19 following several lead changes, but the Pioneers won four straight points to grab the lead back. East Bay had a chance at set point, leading 24-23, but the Jacks scored the final three points to pull out the 26-24 victory.

The final frame was close, but East Bay never held a lead as the home team closed out the four-set win. Each time the Pioneers rattled off a few points, the Jacks answered with a scoring run of their own, and they were able to hold off CSUEB's final push for 25-22 decision. 

Ray, who was the hero last Friday in the dramatic win over Cal State Monterey Bay, had another huge performance against Humboldt. In addition to her five blocks, the sophomore led the team with 13 kills, four service aces, and a .297 hitting percentage. She also posted 12 digs, giving her seven double-doubles this season and 11 straight matches with double-digit digs. 

McKiernan and Thompson each finished with eight kills, and freshman Tiana Weeks chipped in five. Libero Brandi Brucato led the way defensively with 13 digs. 

Freshman Audrey Lamoureux notched 20 assists in the loss, while junior Katie Ireland contributed 15. 

Next up, the Pioneers return home for three straight matches in Hayward, They have two hugely important contests against North Division rivals scheduled for this weekend, with Sonoma State on the docket for Friday night followed by SF State on Saturday.