HAYWARD, Calif. — The Cal State East Bay volleyball team found a spark and rallied from behind on Saturday night at Pioneer Gym, but ultimately fell short against Cal State Monterey Bay, 3-1 (25-23, 25-23, 17-25, 25-22).

Junior Breyan Ashley recorded a game-high 19 kills, redshirt freshman Mia Jordan tallied 14 kills and junior Kara Green had eight.  

Redshirt freshman Megan Crecelius finished with 26 assists, sophomore Peyton Griffin added 20 assists and Green led the way with 17 digs.

CSUEB (5-5, 0-2 CCAA) fell behind early after dropping consecutive close sets 25-23, but responded by winning the third set 25-22.

The Pioneers led late in the fourth set after a kill by Jordan made it 19-18, and kept it close as senior Steena Hubbard slammed home a point off a pass from Crecelius to bring East Bay within one, 22-21.

But Cal State Monterey Bay (7-3, 1-1) held on for a fourth-set win, 25-22, and escaped with a 3-1 match victory.

CSUEB returns to action next week, as the Pioneers travel to Southern California for a road contest against defending conference champion and 2019 national champion Cal State San Bernardino on Friday, Sept. 24, beginning at 7 p.m.