SEASIDE, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos volleyball team (1-2) concluded the Otter Invitational with a five-set heartbreaker to undefeated Northwest Nazarene (4-0) on Saturday afternoon at The Kelp Bed. The Cougars held a 2-1 match lead and reached match point in the fifth set before the Nighthawks rallied for a 25-23, 22-25, 18-25, 25-20, 17-15 victory.
NORTHWEST NAZARENE 3 – CSUSM 2 (25-23, 22-25, 18-25, 25-20, 17-15)
TOP PERFORMERS
Addison Kranz – 22 kills | .279 hitting percentage
Kassie Cooley – 11 kills | 2 digs
Blayne Seligmiller – 10 kills | .304 hitting percentage | 3 blocks
Jules Tindall – 9 kills | .304 hitting percentage | 5 blocks | 4 aces
Blair Keith – 46 assists | 8 digs | 5 kills | 3 aces
Annika Blas-Cedeno – 11 digs | 7 assists | 4 aces
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After NNU took a 17-14 lead in the opening set, CSUSM responded with four consecutive points to move ahead 18-17. Neither team led by more than one over the next 11 points, with Kranz tying the frame at 23-all on her eighth kill. The Nighthawks scored the final two points to take the set 25-23.
- CSUSM opened the second set with three straight points and later used a 4-0 run to break a 12-12 tie. NNU answered to even the score at 16-all, but the Cougars pulled away behind kills from Cooley, Seligmiller, Tindall and Hazel Livingston-Jones to earn a 25-22 victory.
- The Cougars hit a match-best .308 while holding Northwest Nazarene to a .103 clip in the third set. After the Nighthawks pulled within one at 18-17, CSUSM closed the frame on a 7-1 run that included two Tindall kills, a Kranz kill, an Eleanor Brislen ace and two Cooley finishes.
- CSUSM erased an early four-point deficit and tied the fourth set at 14-all on a Tindall ace. The teams were even at 16, 17 and 18 before Northwest Nazarene scored eight of the final 10 points to take the set 25-20 and force a fifth.
- Trailing 2-0 in the deciding set, the Cougars scored five consecutive points to take a 5-2 lead. After Northwest Nazarene tied the score at 5-all, CSUSM went on a 6-0 run behind two Keith aces and a Tindall-Seligmiller block to build an 11-5 advantage. The Nighthawks responded with seven consecutive points to take a 13-12 lead. CSUSM regained the advantage at 14-13 and reached match point again at 15-14 on a Seligmiller kill, but Northwest Nazarene scored the final three points to win 17-15.
QUICK HITS
- CSUSM led in kills (61-54), assists (57-51), digs (61-59) and total blocks (9-6).
- The Cougars outhit the Nighthawks .244-.216.
- CSUSM's 15 service aces were a season high.
- Kranz recorded 22 kills for the second consecutive match.
- Shelby Jackson and McKenna Kehoe tied for the team lead with 12 digs apiece.
- The Cougars played five sets for the second consecutive match.
- Saturday's contest was the first meeting between CSUSM and Northwest Nazarene.
UP NEXT
CSUSM will return to San Marcos to host the Cougar Classic beginning Thursday, Sept. 3. The Cougars will face Bemidji State at 5 p.m. in their home opener at The Sports Center.
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