SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – In dramatic fashion, the Cal State San Marcos women's volleyball team registered its first victory of 2015 with a five-set win over Carroll College (Mont.) on Saturday afternoon at The Mustang College Labor Day Tournament. 
 
CSUSM ended the weekend with a 25-20, 25-16, 23-25, 17-25 and 15-10 victory over the Saints.  The Cougars dropped a three-set match (25-7, 25-15, 25-20) earlier that day to NAIA No. 2 Biola.
 
Outside hitter Brooke Butler led the Cougar offense, putting down 21 kills on the day.  Right-side hitter Lauren Lee collected 19 kills and team-high four blocks. Setter Taylor Harris dished out 67 assists while digging a team-best 34 balls.
 
The Cougars compete in their first NCAA Division II tournament, Cal State San Bernardino Coyote Classic, next weekend. On Friday, CSUSM will face New Mexico Highlands at 12 p.m. and Westminster (Utah) at 7:30 p.m. followed by matches against Western New Mexico at 10 a.m. and Concordia (Calif.) at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
 
Match 1: Biola 3 – CSUSM 0
The Cougars started the match on shaky ground but by the third set CSUSM had found its stride.  The young Cougar squad challenged the veteran Eagles after a Sam Huang ace made it 21-19.  CSUSM would get within one point after a ball handling error was called on the Biola setter. After exiting a timeout, Biola rattled off four consecutive points to clinch the win.
 
Match 2: CSUSM 3 – Carroll College 2
 A Butler kill put CSUSM up 11-4 in the first set but a 6-0 run later in the set would even the score at 16-16.  A block by Cheyanne Patin and Harris put CSUSM back on top at 18-17 and the Cougars cruised to a 25-20 first set win.
 
CSUSM went up 2-0 in the match after a convincing 25-16 set win.  An 8-3 Cougar run capped by a Harris back tip for a kill put CSUSM up 22-13.  Middle hitter Morgan Willis' kills gave CSUSM its 25th point.
 
The two teams traded points and leads until Carroll tallied three unanswered points to take a 15-12. An Ashley Kaylor aces cut the Saints lead to 19-18. Carroll closed out the set with a kill by Emily Sullivan.
 
The fourth set had CSUSM trying to play catch-up the entire time as the Cougars found themselves down 17-10.  The Saints forced a fifth set after recording a 25-17 win.
 
After opening the final set down 2-1, the Cougars tacked on eight consecutive points including two aces by libero Samantha Flores. The rally also featured a block by Patin and Lee. The Cougars clinched the match on a Lee kill for their first win of the season.