SAN FRANCISCO -- The Cal State East Bay volleyball team is heading back to the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) postseason for the second straight year after clinching a tournament berth with a four-set victory on the road over SF State on Friday evening.

With the win, the Pioneers improve to 15-9 overall and 8-7 in CCAA matches, keeping them just a half-game behind Chico State for second place in the North Division. East Bay now holds a five-game lead over the Gators with three regular season contests left, securing one of the North's four playoff spots for the Pioneers.

CSUEB wasn't quite able to pull off its second straight sweep over SF State, as the home team eked out a 25-23 win in game three this evening. But it was nonetheless a dominant effort for the Pioneers, who hit .345 as a team while holding the Gators to just a .157 attack percentage. The visitors controlled the net on both sides, racking up 13 blocks, as five different individuals tallied at least three.

The Pioneers did trail early in the first set, but went on a run midway through the frame to grab the lead, then showed off their talent with a 7-1 run to close out the 25-18 win. They led nearly the entire way in game two, totaling 17 kills and pulling away slowly to grab a 2-0 advantage in the match.

The Gators managed to hit .212 in game three and held the Pioneers to their lowest percentage of the match, as the home team staved off a sweep. However, any momentum SFSU had was short-lived, as East Bay cruised to a one-sided win in the fourth set to close out the match.

Setter Katie Ireland had one of her best performances of the year to facilitate the impressive victory. The senior filled up the scoresheet with 44 assists, 14 dogs, three blocks, and seven kills without an error.

Offensively, sophomore Lindsey Ray led all players in the match with 17 kills. She hit .412 on 34 attempts and notched a double-double with 13 digs. Junior Deja Thompson also had a huge night as the only other Pioneer with double-digit kills. She hit .476 with 12 kills and four total blocks to finish as CSUEB's second-leading scorer on the night.

Kathy McKiernan and Kiki Leuteneker both contributed nine kills and four blocks. Freshman Tiana Weeks got the start on the right side and turned in a strong effort, totaling six kills, three blocks, and a .308 hitting percentage. 

In the back, senior Brandi Brucato led all players with 21 digs and scored a team-best four service aces as well. Natahlee Wilson was the fourth Pioneers to reach double figures in digs, notching 11 off the bench.

With a crucial road win in the books, the Pioneers will head north to Rohnert Park and return to the court Saturday evening as they attempt to complete a season sweep over first-place Sonoma State.