LA JOLLA, Calif. – With two sets going past the 25-point mark, the Cal State San Marcos volleyball team dropped a hard-fought four-set match at UC San Diego in RIMAC Arena on Saturday night. The final scores were 25-17, 24-26, 29-27 and 25-18 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) season opener for both teams.
The Cougars fall to 3-6 on the season and 0-1 in CCAA play. The Tritons, who are receiving votes in the NCAA Division II national poll, improve to 7-2 overall and 1-0 in conference action.
Sophomore outside hitter
Taylor Dixon led CSUSM with 13 kills while sophomore middle blocker
Maddy Newcombe chipped in 10 kills. Junior middle blocker
Faith Fortuné tallied nine kills and eight total blocks including three solo blocks. Freshman libero
Grecia Cordero-Barr collected 33 digs in the match while sophomore
Aleese Wheaton dished out 41 assists.
UCSD jumped out to a 16-6 lead over CSUSM in the opening set. The Cougars responded with a 6-2 run to force the Tritons to take their first timeout of the match. CSUSM would close the gap to 21-17 before giving up four uncontested points to fall 25-17.
Eleven ties and six lead changes occurred in the second set as CSUSM rebounded from a five point deficit at the midway point. The Cougars came out on top 26-24 to even the match at one set apiece.
It was CSUSM's turn to take a quick lead, leaping to a 7-3 advantage. A long rally with the Cougars running outside the boundaries of the court had junior
Ashley Pedersen capping it with a kill down the line to give CSUSM a 13-12 lead. Neither team would get more than a two-point lead for the remaining of the set. Fighting off UCSD's second set point, a cross court rainbow shot by Dixon dropped in for a kill to even the set at 24-24. CSUSM would get two set points, but the Tritons prevailed to take the set at 29-27.
Unforced errors haunted the Cougars in the beginning of the fourth set, finding themselves down 20-8. CSUSM pushed back with a 10-4 run and fought off four match points before falling 25-18.
UCSD's Micah Hammond notched 16 kills and Amanda Colla tacked on 13 kills in addition to her 20 digs.
The Cougars host Chico State on Friday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. at The Sports Center.
