SEASIDE, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos volleyball team (1-1) split its two matches on Friday at The Kelp Bed on its opening day of the Otter Invitational. CSUSM fell to Sioux Falls (2-0) in straight sets (19-25, 19-25, 16-25) before earning its first win of the season with a five-set victory (25-15, 25-17, 15-25, 17-25, 15-11) over Dominican (0-2).
MATCH 1: SIOUX FALLS 3 – CSUSM 0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-16)
TOP PERFORMERS
Addison Kranz – 9 kills | .333 hitting percentage
Blayne Seligmiller – 7 kills | .462 hitting percentage | 2 digs | 1 block
Ebony Lewis – 6 kills | 4 digs | 2 blocks | 1 ace
Blair Keith – 27 assists | 5 digs | 1 kill | 1 ace
Annika Blas-Cedeno – 9 digs | 2 assists
HOW IT HAPPENED
- CSUSM took an early 7-5 lead behind kills from Kranz, Seligmiller and Rachel Blankenship. Sioux Falls responded with five consecutive points and later used an 8-1 run to turn a 15-14 advantage into a 23-15 lead. San Marcos fought off two set points before Sioux Falls closed the opener at 25-19.
- CSUSM scored four of the first five points in the second set and held a 7-4 advantage. After CSUSM pulled even at 14-all, Sioux Falls scored eight consecutive points to take control. Eleanor Brislen delivered back-to-back aces during a late CSUSM push, but Sioux Falls claimed another 25-19 win.
- With the third set tied at 3-all, Sioux Falls went on an 11-3 run to build a 14-6 lead. CSUSM hit a match-best .292 in the frame and received three kills apiece from Seligmiller and Kassie Cooley, but Sioux Falls finished the sweep with a 25-16 victory.
QUICK HITS
- CSUSM finished with five service aces compared with four for Sioux Falls.
- San Marcos hit .292 in the third set, their best percentage of the match.
- CSUSM recorded 36 kills, 36 assists, 30 digs and four total blocks.
- Seligmiller's .462 hitting percentage was the best among Cougars with at least five attempts.
- The match featured nine ties and four lead changes.
- Friday's contest was the first meeting between CSUSM and Sioux Falls.
MATCH 2: CSUSM 3 – DOMINICAN 2 (25-15, 25-17, 15-25, 17-25, 15-11)
TOP PERFORMERS
Addison Kranz – 22 kills | .250 hitting percentage | 2 blocks
Ebony Lewis – 11 kills | .310 hitting percentage | 12 digs | 2 aces
Blair Keith – 47 assists | 9 digs | 4 aces | 2 kills | 2 blocks
Annika Blas-Cedeno – 21 digs | 4 aces | 3 assists
Hazel Livingston-Jones – 4 blocks | 3 kills
HOW IT HAPPENED
- CSUSM jumped out to a 6-2 lead and used a 5-0 run to extend its advantage to 14-6. The Cougars later scored three consecutive points to go up 21-13 before Livingston-Jones delivered the set-winning kill. CSUSM held Dominican to a .025 hitting percentage in the 25-15 victory.
- With the second set tied at 3-all, Shelby Jackson served the Cougars to five consecutive points and an 8-3 lead. A later 6-0 run pushed the advantage to 17-8. Dominican cut the margin to four at 21-17, but CSUSM answered with four straight points, capped by consecutive Kranz kills, to take the set 25-17.
- Dominican scored six consecutive points to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 7-2 lead in the third set. The Penguins hit .519 in the frame and maintained control on their way to a 25-15 win.
- The Cougars opened the fourth set with a 6-2 advantage before Dominican rallied to take an 8-7 lead. CSUSM used a 4-0 run, highlighted by a Blas-Cedeno ace and a Kranz kill, to pull within one at 17-16. Dominican responded by scoring eight of the final nine points to force a fifth set with a 25-17 victory.
- CSUSM built a 6-1 lead in the deciding set behind three Kranz kills and two Keith aces. Dominican rallied to tie the set at 10-all, but the Cougars answered with three consecutive points, including a Blas-Cedeno ace. Kranz put CSUSM at match point with her 22nd kill before Keith closed the 15-11 victory with an ace.
QUICK HITS
- CSUSM held advantages in service aces (12-7), assists (52-47) and digs (74-71).
- The Cougars narrowly outhit Dominican, .193-.191.
- Keith's 47 assists established a career high, surpassing her previous best of 41.
- Lewis recorded a double-double with 11 kills and 12 digs.
- Kranz's 22 kills was the fifth time in her career of scoring 20 or more kills in a match.
- Blas-Cedeno and Keith each served four aces.
- CSUSM improved to 3-0 in the all-time series against Dominican.
UP NEXT
CSUSM concludes play at the Otter Invitational against Northwest Nazarene at noon Saturday at The Kelp Bed.
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