TURLOCK, Calif. — Cal State East Bay's postseason run came to an end Friday afternoon at Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena, as the No. 6 seed Pioneers fell to No. 2 seed Cal State San Bernardino in the semifinals of the CCAA Volleyball Tournament presented by Under Armour. The Coyotes advanced with a 3-1 victory (25-18, 25-21, 23-25, 25-16) in a match that featured momentum swings and spirited rallies from both sides.
The opening set saw East Bay trade points early before CSUSB seized control behind strong side-out efficiency and a late surge from Kacie Pedersen, who finished with a match-high 28 kills. The Pioneers battled to keep pace, with Barakat Adekola and Malayah Adams providing early offense, but the Coyotes closed the frame 25-18.
In the second set, East Bay showed resilience, pulling even at 7-7 and later trimming the deficit to two points. Despite the push, San Bernardino capitalized on timely kills and a set clinching block to take the set 25-21 and build a 2-0 lead.
The third set was the highlight for the Pioneers. After falling behind 4-0, East Bay stormed back with a balanced attack, including multiple kills from Adekola and Adams. Kuamo'o sparked the rally with consecutive service aces, and East Bay held off a late Coyotes charge to claim the set 25-23 on a kill from Adams to win set point, forcing a fourth.
CSUSB responded in the fourth set with a dominant stretch midway through, turning a 13-12 edge into a commanding lead. Despite efforts from Adekola and Adams, the Coyotes' front-row presence and efficient hitting sealed the match by winning the set, 25-16 for a 3-1 match victory.
Adekola led East Bay with a double-double, recording 15 kills and 14 digs, while Adams added 12 kills. Kuamo'o contributed three service aces, and Fane Paua and Jada Stone each tallied four blocks to anchor the defense. The Pioneers finished with seven team blocks and hit .148 overall against a Coyotes squad that posted a .259 hitting percentage.
The CCAA All-Tournament Team was announced on Saturday following the Championship Match. From Cal State East Bay, Adekola and Pi'ilani Carvalho were named to the All-Tournament Team.
With the result, Cal State East Bay closes its 2025 season at 14-14 overall, marking a competitive campaign highlighted by a strong finish and a trip to the CCAA Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2018.
