Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
CSUSM 3 - Montana Western 0
La Sierra 3 - CSUSM 2

Riverside, Calif.— After winning their first 10 sets to kick off the 2012 season, the Cal State San Marcos women's volleyball team finally fell Thursday to La Sierra in a five set battle that featured both finalists of last year's A.I.I. title game.
 
The day started smoothly for the Cougars, as they breezed through a straight set victory (25-16, 25-22, 25-17) for their third consecutive three-set shutout. CSUSM outhit the Bulldogs .311 to .062 in the first ever matchup between the teams.
 
Senior outside hitter Lindsey Sappington was excellent once again for San Marcos with a game high 11 kills, six digs, and a superb .600 hitting percentage.
 
In the evening game against conference rival La Sierra, Cal State San Marcos jumped out to a first set lead but fell 25-18, 20-25, 23-25, 25-18, 10-15.
 
The Cougars, who defeated La Sierra for the A.I.I. championship last fall, actually out-scored the Golden Eagles on the match, but could not put points together at the right time, especially in the tightly contested third set.
 
Errors would prove to be CSUSM's undoing, as the Cougars committed 28 attacking errors and 15 blocking errors, compared to just 15 and 10 by La Sierra, respectively.
 
Lindsey Sappington led all scorers in kills with 21, and sophomore Taylor DeGraaf picked up her second double-double of the season with 15 kills and 11 digs. DeGraaf also finished with 6 service aces, tying her career best and ranking third on the CSUSM single-game aces list.
 
Another bright spot for Cal State San Marcos was the play of freshman outside hitter Andi Vordermann, who tallied 12 kills and just one error in 23 total attacks. Vordermann— who played at Dana Hills High School last year— has 24 kills and an extremely efficient .550 hitting percentage in her first four games at the collegiate level.
 
Head Coach Andrea Leonard was pleased to see Vordermann and fellow freshman Brittany Esposito step into key positions right away for the Cougars. Esposito, who normally plays setter, leads the team in digs with 44 in her first ever action as a libero.
 
Leonard “will break down areas to improve upon as they move forward in the season,” but thought that “the team looked strong overall” in winning three out of its four matches in the tournament.
 
The Cougars will hit the road again next week, playing at The Master's College in Santa Clarita, Calif. on Tuesday before taking part in four games at the Biola University Tournament Thursday and Friday in La Mirada, Calif.