September 4, 2009
Box Score
SAN FRANCISCO – The Cal State Monterey Bay Otters won the first two sets of their match against Hawaii Pacific University and held on to win the fifth and final frame, as the Otters topped the Sea Warriors 3-2 by scores of 25-19, 25-21, 22-25, 20-25, 15-10.
Sophomore #Rheann Fall# led the Otters with 24 kills, 19 digs and three blocks, with senior #Kerri Sudarsana# finishing with 20 kills. Sophomore transfer #Lauren Shacklock# added 11 kills and red-shirt freshman #Monique Sena# dished out a career-high 50 assists.
CSUMB never trailed in the opening set, with Sena serving up six straight points to begin the match. The Sea Warriors clawed their way to within three points at 12-9. After each team added a point, the Otters went on a 4-1 run to push the advantage to 17-11 and CSUMB cruised to the 25-19 first-set win.
HPU took a 1-0 lead in the second set which eventually turned out to be their only lead of the set. Fall's kill tied the game at 1-1 and two consecutive kills by Sudarsana gave the Otters a 3-1 lead. The Sea Warriors tied the game at 4-4 before the Otters answered with three straight points. The rest of the set would follow the same pattern with CSUMB pulling away with a three or four point lead and HPU closing it to within one point or tying it. The Otters finally erupted at 17-17 with an 8-4 run to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
The third set looked like it was going to be a repeat of the second until the last part of the set. With an 18-14 Otter lead, HPU scored five straight points and would go on to capture the third set, 25-22.
The Sea Warriors jumped out ahead early in the fourth set, leading by three at 4-1 before the Otters clawed by, knotting the set at five points apiece. HPU saw the Otters claim their first lead after a Shacklock kills gave CSUMB an 11-10 lead. The lead would teeter-totter back and forth before a HPU timeout at 16-16 proved to be a turning point, as the Sea Warriors would go on a six-point run to cruise to a 25-20 fourth set win and forcing a fifth set.
CSUMB finally got down to business in the fifth set. At 3-3, the Otters went on a 5-1 run capped by a service ace by senior #Katie Bos#. The Otters would not allow the Sea Warriors to get within three points for the rest of the set as CSUMB took the fifth set at 15-10.
The Otters finished the final set with 12 kills on 24 attempts and only one error. CSUMB defense only allowed seven kills by the Sea Warriors.
For the match, HPU was led by Julia Gruszecka who had 18 kills, with Mariana Souza adding 14. Kelly Balanay finished with 10 kills and five blocks.
The Otters will return to the court for their second match of the California Clash tonight at 7 p.m. CSUMB takes on Chaminade University, who dropped a five-set match to Cal State East Bay earlier in the day.
