Box Score
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The Cal State Monterey Bay women's volleyball team's dropped a 3-1 (25-10, 25-13, 29-31, 25-16) decision to No. 1 ranked Cal State San Bernardino Friday night in Coussoulis Arena.
Seniors
Rheann Fall (Elk Grove/St. Francis HS) and
Melanie Lashbrook (Truckee/Tahoe Truckee HS) both collected a team-high 11 kills with senior libero
Dionna Lucas (Redlands/Arrowhead Christian Academy) recording 14 dig. Lashbrook and Fall along with senior
Tiffaney Riggs (Vanccouver, Wash/Heritage HS) each registered solo blocks.
CSUSB's Samantha Middleborn had 24 kills (.550) and Megan Johnson added 12 kills as the Coyotes hit .355 as a team. Middleborn had 11 block assists and three block solos as CSUSB tallied 17 total blocks.
“We came out flat and tentative in the first two sets,” said Head Coach
Jody Garry. “We made some changes after the intermission. We took big swings and fought off several match points. Winning the third set says a lot about who we are – we never give up.”
In the opening set, the Coyotes sprinted off to an 11-2 lead and cruised to a 25-10 victory behind a .433 attack percentage. Lashbrook had three of CSUMB's kills and Middleborn had nine kills for CSUSB.
The top-ranked Coyotes shut down the Otters offense in the second set, holding CSUMB to only six kills on 32 attempts and six errors. CSUSB took a 25-13 second set victory into the 10-minute intermission.
The Otters came back from the break with a mission, taking a quick 6-1 lead behind two Lashbrook kills. CSUMB stayed steady in the lead until a 7-0 run tied the set at 23. The Otters fought off three CSUSB match-point's with kills by Fall each time. CSUMB prevented a three-set sweep with a 31-29 win.
The Coyotes answered with a fourth set 25-16 victory. Fall and Lashbrook once again led the Otters with three kills apiece. Junior
Rachel Freeno (Alta Loma HS) racked up two service aces.
The Otters close out their 2011 campaign on Saturday, Nov. 12 against No. 15 UC San Diego in La Jolla at 7 p.m. Earlier this season, CSUMB pulled off a four-set upset against then No. 16 Tritons at the Kelp Bed.
