Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 LA MIRADA, Calif.— The Cal State San Marcos women's volleyball team wrapped up play in the 2013 Biola Summer Slam with an emphatic victory over a nationally recognized opponent but fell just shy of knocking off a second. No. 20 CSUSM defeated Southern Oregon in straight sets 25-19, 25-15, 25-18 in the morning before falling 15-25, 25-16, 21-25, 25-16, 14-16 to Davenport (Mich.) Friday afternoon. The Cougars held game point in the final set at 14-13 but the Panthers claimed the final three points to take the match.

Both of CSUSM's opponents Friday entered play just outside the NAIA Top 25, while the Cougars are currently ranked No. 20. CSUSM now stands at 4-2 after splitting their two games.

In the first match, CSUSM kept Southern Oregon at bay by holding the Raiders to a miniscule .068 hitting percentage, allowing just seven more kills than errors over 103 attack attempts. The Cougars were far more efficient offensively, recording 40 kills in 104 attempts— good for a .269 hitting percentage.

Freshman Brooke Butler led the charge with 13 kills and a career best 11 digs, recording the first double double of her career. Taylor DeGraaf added 12 kills and Erin Talafus added five kills with no errors in 10 attempts. Alyssa Foster tallied a game-high 27 assists, and Waverly Richards led the Cougars with 12 digs.

The Cougars got off to a slow start in the first set of their match against Davenport, as the Panthers recorded 15 sideouts in 16 attempts against San Marcos (93%). However, CSUSM turned things around quickly in the second set by hitting .348 to claim the frame convincingly.

The Cougars stayed red-hot to start the third set, jumping out to a 7-0 lead, but Davenport crawled back and took the set late by winning six of the final seven points. CSUSM held the Panthers to a -0.21 hitting percentage in the fourth set to send the match to the fifth and final set.

After falling behind 8-3, CSUSM stormed back to take 11 of the next 16 points, highlighted by Erin Talafus' block that game the Cougars game point. It was not to be, however, and three straight kills by the Panthers put the match away.

In all, DeGraaf and Butler had 18 and 17 digs, respectively, to go along with 17 kills apiece. Libero Waverly Richards had 18 digs and six assists, while setter Alyssa Foster nearly recorded a triple double with 7 kills (.500  hitting percentage), a game-high 44 assists, and  14 digs.

CSUSM has a week to rest as the school year gets underway, and will play again next at the UC Merced Holiday Inn Express Volleyball Invitational taking place August 30-31.