Box Score Box Score

Playing on the road against a tough Chapman University squad, #17-ranked Cal State San Marcos volleyball dropped the first set on Wednesday, but rebounded to win the next three to earn their seventh straight win.
 
CSUSM improves to 16-5 on the season.  Chapman drops to 11-6.
 
The match was close throughout, with set scores of (22-25), (29-27), (26-24), and (25-19).  Coach Andrea Leonard's squad, which has proven itself good enough to simply overpower some opponents, was severely tested by Chapman.  But the Cougars, thanks largely to excellent defense, were up to the task.
 
CSUSM recorded 94 digs as a team for the match, with Taylor DeGraaf (25), Nichole May (19), and Alyssa Foster (17) leading the way.  The Cougars held the home team to a .095 hitting percentage on the night and Brittany Thompson recorded 3 solo blocks, which along with kills from DeGraaf (19), Lindsey Mitchell (13), and Erin Talafus (11) were enough to overcome 19 service errors.  Foster led the team with 47 assists.
 
After losing the close first game, the Cougars survived three Chapman game points in the crucial second to come back and win it 29-27 on back-to-back DeGraaf kills.
 
The Cougars would continue living on the edge in the third set, parrying away two more game points and winning the final three points of the game to take it 26-24.  CSUSM would put it away with slightly less drama in the fourth, winning 9 of the game's final 14 points after the teams were tied 15-15.  Kara Barkdoll recorded the game-winning block on match point.
 
CSUSM will face its toughest remaining test at home next Thursday, September 6^th, when the Cougars welcome #3-ranked Concordia University to Escondido High School.  Admission is free, and the match starts at 7:00 PM.