October 19, 2008

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The Cal State Monterey Bay women's volleyball team fell 3-0 to No. 3 Cal State San Bernardino tonight.  The final scores were 25-15, 25-16, 25-17.

Junior #Alisha Thomas# earned her first double-double of the season, accumulating 10 kills and 12 digs. Freshman #Rheann Fall# finished with seven kills and freshman #Tiffaney Riggs# added three blocks.

Last year's first-team All-American and CCAA Player of the Year Jessica Granados finished with nine kills and a .389 clip. Morgan Carty led the Coyotes with 11 kills.

After a 6-1 CSUSB start, the Otters rallied back with two kills by junior #Elizabeth Hanna# and a block by junior #Rayna Richardson# and Riggs to close the lead to one (8-7).  CSUMB kept things close until the Coyotes went 8-0 run at the 12-10 mark. Thomas went 4-for-8 with one error (.375 clip) in the first set.

The Coyotes began the second set with another quick lead (3-0) but CSUMB quickly tied it up on kills by junior #Kerri Sudarsana# and Thomas, who also added an ace. Granados connected on a cross-court kill to give the Coyotes a 4-3 lead.  Richardson tied it up at 4-4 on an off-speed shot that fell for a kill. CSUSB went on a 5-0 run which was stopped on Sudarsana's miss shot kill.  The Otters closed the lead to two (10-8) on a block by Riggs and sophomore #Dana Grimm#. At 13-10, the blocking duo of Hanna and Richardson forced Granados to take three swings before setter Sara Hoffman set Morgan Carty on the outside, who was than blocked by Hanna and Sudarsana.  The Coyotes pulled away to finish 25-16.

In the third set, the Otters never let CSUSB take more than a one point lead. At 6-5, the Otters took their only lead of the game when Grimm and Hanna blocked sophomore Jane Chafeh.  Once again, the Coyotes pulled away to close the match at 25-17.

The Otters travel to cross-the-bay rival San Francisco State on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at the Main Gymnasium.  First serve is at 7 p.m.