BOX SCORE

LA JOLLA, Calif. — The match started with a lot of promise, but the promise was broken by the end as UC San Diego completed a 25-22, 25-13, 25-12 sweep of Cal State Monterey Bay Friday night in RIMAC Arena.

CSUMB (10-8, 4-6 CCAA) got nine kills from Julia Ashen, a match-high five blocks from Janai Johnson and a 24-assist, 12-dig double-double from Kelsey Johnston. But that simply wasn't enough to counter the UCSD (12-6, 7-3) duo of Danielle Dahle and Sophie Rowe, who combined for 29 of the 52 Triton kills Friday.

The Otters weathered an early storm in the first set, using a gradual 10-5 run to take their first lead at 16-15. A kill by Johnson and a tandem block from Lily Staight and Victoria Clardy gave the Otters their first two-point lead at 18-16.

The teams traded leads three times down the stretch, with an Ashen kill giving the Otters their last advantage at 20-19. But three kills by Rowe and a final kill from Dahle allowed the Tritons to escape with a 25-22 win.

The second set started better than the first for CSUMB, with a pair of Ashen kills helping the Otters forge a 6-6 tie through 12 points. But UCSD scored 12 of the next 15 and never looked back to take control of the match. The third set was still within reach at 11-7 before UCSD embarked on a 13-1 run to put the match away.

CSUMB will look to bounce back in the most difficult of ways Saturday when it plays at Cal State San Bernardino at 5 p.m. The Otters return home to host San Francisco State and Sonoma State Oct. 19-20 in The Kelp Bed.