SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Down two sets, the Cal State San Marcos volleyball team posted a come-from-behind five-set victory over Stanislaus State in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play on Friday night at Hunter Gym. Final scores were 23-25, 20-25, 25-14, 25-23 and 15-10.
 
The Cougars hit just .118 in the first two sets but turned it around in the third set behind senior Taylor DeGraaf's six kills to finish with a .286 clip. CSUSM squeezed out a fourth set victory, registering a match-high 17 kills. Then, in the final set, the Cougars committed just two attack errors and hit .286 in securing the win.
 
The Cougars improve to 5-15 overall and 2-10 in CCAA play. Stanislaus State drops to 12-6, 6-6 CCAA.
 
"So proud of our continued hard work, enthusiasm and attention to detail," said head coach Andrea Leonard. "Tonight's win showed that we truly believe in each other."
 
Leading the offensive charge was DeGraaf, who registered 18 kills for a .277 clip and five aces on the night. DeGraaf was the main impetus behind the turnaround offensively as she collected 15 of her kills in the final three sets. Junior Brooke Butler added 13 kills on .265 hitting, while senior Jordan Banich chipped in 11 kills. Junior Taylor Harris dished out 53 assists on top of her 16 digs. 
 
Sophomore libero Ashley Kaylor's 30 digs ranks her second in the CSUSM record books alongside DeGraaf's and Harris' performances in 2013. Nicole May is CSUSM record holder with 32 digs against Oklahoma Baptist on Aug. 19, 2011.
 
CSUSM was a half block shy of matching its program record, finishing the night with 18 that included three solo. Banich tallied a career-best 10 blocks and freshman Faith Fortune collected seven blocks.
 
Finding themselves down two sets, the Cougars came out of intermission with a mission.  At 11-11, CSUSM put together a 12-1 run and never looked back to take the third set at 25-14.
 
The Warriors led throughout the fourth set until CSUSM evened the match at 23-23. A block by Fortune and Banich followed by a Banich kill gave CSUSM the set win and forced a fifth.
 
Neither team led by more than two points until a four-point run put CSUSM up 10-7. The blocking duo of Harris and freshman Sam Huang set up CSUSM for its first match point.  It took three chances before Huang crushed a slide to give CSUSM the set and match at 15-10.
 
The Cougars will host Chico State tomorrow afternoon to try and go for their third consecutive home CCAA win.  First serve is slated for noon and it will be the CCAA "Dig For A Cure" match.