HAYWARD, Calif. – The Cal State East Bay volleyball team earned its second consecutive victory Saturday afternoon, sweeping Menlo 3-0 in CCAA action at Pioneer Gymnasium. The Pioneers claimed the match with set scores of 25-18, 25-20 and 25-22, improving to 9-12 overall and 7-4 in conference play.
East Bay opened the match with an efficient offensive performance, recording 13 kills on 33 attempts with just two errors for a .333 hitting percentage in the first set. The Pioneers limited Menlo to a .211 hitting percentage and took the opening frame 25-18 to establish an early advantage.
The Pioneers continued to control the match in the second set, recording another 13 kills while hitting .188. Menlo was held to nine kills and a .063 hitting percentage as East Bay secured a 25-20 victory to take a 2-0 lead.
Menlo looked to respond in the third set, recording 14 kills while hitting .154. However, East Bay delivered its highest kill total of the afternoon with 16 while hitting .302, closing out the match with a 25-22 victory to complete the sweep.
Gianna Navarro led the Pioneers with a match-high 13 kills while hitting .480, committing just one attack error on 25 attempts. Navarro also recorded 14 digs to complete a double-double, helping lead East Bay to its second consecutive victory.
Barakat Adekola followed with nine kills while hitting .296, adding 14 digs and a block assist. Natali Herrera and Lamona Lauhingoa each contributed six kills, with Herrera hitting .417 and adding three block assists.
Pi'ilani Carvalho directed the East Bay offense with 32 assists, seven digs and a service ace. Kale'a Kuamo'o led the Pioneers defensively with 15 digs while adding three service aces, and Lauren Au contributed a match-high four aces.
Makaiya Gerhardt added four kills on 10 attempts without an error for a .400 hitting percentage, while also recording one solo block.
As a team, East Bay finished with 42 kills, 59 digs and eight service aces while hitting .278. The Pioneers also recorded five total team blocks.
The Pioneers delivered an efficient offensive performance throughout the afternoon, hitting .278 as a team while limiting Menlo to a .148 hitting percentage. East Bay will look to build on the victory as it continues CCAA play.
