Box Score
Santa Barbara, Calif.-- The matchup featured two top-10 programs. The final scoresheet shows an even 99 points for each team. Friday's match between the No. 9 ranked Cal State San Marcos women's volleyball team and the No. 5 Westmont Warriors lived up to its billing is the NAIA Game of the Week, turning out to be a five set back and forth battle that the Warriors ended up winning 25-23, 25-18, 10-25, 24-26, 15-7.
 
The Cougars dropped the first two sets, but battled back to win the third set overwhelmingly and narrowly grabbed the fourth set as well. Westmont regrouped in the fifth set, running out to take the first five points and never looking back, locking up the hard-fought victory.
 
It almost turned out very differently, however. In the first set, the Cougars held a 23-21 lead, needing just two more points to close out the set, but Westmont responded with four straight points to flip the tables.
 
After trailing for the entirety of the second set, CSUSM came out with a vengeance in the third, holding Westmont to just 10 points, tied for the 5th fewest ever allowed by the Cougars in a set.
 
The team faced match point in the fourth set down 23-24, but would not let Westmont close the door, tallying three straight points, including two kills by Taylor DeGraaf to bring the match to the final set.
 
DeGraaf, last year's All-American honorable mention selection as a freshman, led all players with 19 kills on the match. Senior outside hitter Lindsey Mitchell recorded a double-double with 12 kills and 12 digs, while star libero Nichole May notched 25 digs, the fourth highest total of her career and in team history.
 
Setter Alyssa Foster also had a big game, with 11 digs and 53 assists, the 5th highest total in school history. Brittany Thompson had an efficient game with nine kills and a .412 hitting percentage and four blocks, while Kara Barkdoll finished with seven kills and six blocks— tying a career high and also the second most in the program's two year history.
 
For the match, CSUSM boasted a .232 hitting percentage, almost identical to Westmont's .234. The Cougars drop to 14-8 on the season, while Westmont improves to 16-2.
 
The Cougars will look to rebound quickly as they host UC Merced on Saturday, September 22 at 5:00pm at Escondido High School.