SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos volleyball team (2-5) began the day with a five-set come-from-behind thriller (22-25, 20-25, 25-10, 25-19, 15-11) against St. Edward's before falling in four to RV Seattle Pacific (18-25, 25-21, 13-25, 26-28) on the second day of the sixth-annual Cougar Classic on Friday in The Sports Center.
 
MATCH 1: CSUSM 3 – SEU 2 (22-25, 20-25, 25-10, 25-19, 15-11)
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Trinity Barr – 19 kills | .372 clip | 14 digs | 3 blocks | 1 ace
Sofia Hedqvist – 11 kills | 4 digs
Alyssa Gurrola – 8 kills | 7 blocks | 2 digs
Isabelle Bakken – 7 kills | .300 clip | 4 digs
Mackenzie Jennings – 5 kills | 7 blocks | 6 digs
Tori Goff – 43 assists | 11 digs
Mia Christensen – 18 digs | 3 aces

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After an 8-1 run by SEU to make it 17-10, the Cougars came charging back to make it 22-21 on a Jennings kill.
• Despite holding the Hilltoppers to a .020 clip with 10 hitting errors, the Cougars dropped a 22-25 decision to SEU. The deciding factor was the Hilltoppers' six aces.
• The Cougars played catch up the entire second set, eventually falling to the Hilltoppers 25-20.
• CSUSM came alive in the third set, pulling away from a 10-7 lead with a 15-3 run to clinch the third set win at 25-10 to force a fourth set. The Cougars earned a .636 clip with 14 kills on 22 attempts and no hitting errors while holding SEU to a .000 clip (5k, 5e, 25ta).
• The Cougars led wire-to-wire in the fourth set, never allowing the Hilltoppers within two points after the 10-8 mark.
• CSUSM found themselves down 5-2 in the fifth set before coming back to even the set at 8-8 all on a kill by Jada Blake. At the 10-all mark, the Cougars turned on the jets with a 5-1 run that was capped by a Barr ace to secure the win.
   

QUICK HITS

• The Cougars' zero hitting errors in the third set was last repeated at Cal State Dominguez Hills last season when CSUSM finished with 16 kills on 28 attempts and no errors for a .571 clip.
• Gurrola's seven blocks were a career-best while Jennings matched her career-high set against Cal State Monterey Bay last season.
• CSUSM is now 1-0 in the all-time series against SEU.
• Barr registered her first double-double of the season with 19 kills and 14 digs.

 
MATCH 2: CSUSM 1 – SPU 3 (18-25, 25-21, 13-25, 26-28)
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Trinity Barr – 20 kills | 10 digs | 2 block solos
Tori Goff – 40 assists | 11 digs
Sofia Hedqvist – 12 kills | 1 block

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Falcons took the opening set 25-18 after taking the lead for good following a 6-all tie.
• Down 17-13, the Cougars came charging back to even the set at 18-all on a Barr kill before cruising to a 25-21 victory to even the match at 1-1.
• SPU snagged a 25-13 win in the third set behind a .367 clip to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
• Down by as many as four points at the midway point of the fourth set, the Cougars once again came back on an 8-2 run for their first set point at 24-21. The Falcons clawed back to wave off five CSUSM set points before snagging a 28-26 win to claim the match.
   

QUICK HITS

• SPU continues to receive votes in the AVCA/TARAFLEX Division II Preseason Poll. 
• This marks the first time CSUSM and SPU have met at a non-neutral site.
• SPU now leads the series against CSUSM at 3-0.
• The fourth set matched last Saturday's final set score of 28-26 in the match that was held at Point Loma.
• Barr recorded her second double-double of the day with 20 kills and 10 digs.
• Gracie Beilby collected a season-best 14 digs.

UP NEXT
CSUSM will wrap up the Cougar Classic with a match against Colorado School of Mines in the tournament finale at 5 p.m. in The Sports Center.