BOX SCORE

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SEASIDE, Calif. — The Cal State Monterey Bay volleyball team closed the book on the 2012 season by rewriting its record book in an emotional 26–24, 21–25, 25–13, 22–25, 15–9 loss to UC San Diego Saturday night in The Kelp Bed.

The match began by honoring seniors Lauren Ding (Palo Alto/Gunn HS) and Rachel Freeno (Alta Loma HS). Both players saw extensive action as Freeno finished with 15 digs and Ding collected eight digs and two blocks. But the story blossomed beyond a typical senior night.

Sophomore outside hitter Julia Ashen (North Salinas HS) put a flourish on the final chapter of 2012, collecting 16 kills to break Rheann Fall's school record for kills in one season. Ashen's 13th kill was the record–breaker, giving her 423. For good measure, Ashen inked her name in the record book one more time by getting 92 swings in the match, shattering the previous record of 75 set by Brittany Etchings in 2007.

Earlier in the match, the architect of many of Ashen's kills, sophomore setter Kelsey Johnston (Ripon HS) notched her 1,000th assist of the season. She already owned the school record, but she finished with 24 assists to push her mark to 1,020. She put considerable distance between herself and Nicki Sanderson's No. 2 mark of 844 set in 2006.

Overshadowed in that milieu was the capstone to a fine freshman season from libero Rachel Cookus (Thousand Oaks HS), whose 32 digs Saturday (No. 5 in the CSUMB record book for a five–set match) lifted her season total to 473, good for the No. 3 spot on the Otter single–season list.

Even taking away the historic components of the festivities, the match itself was more than memorable in its own right. Starting in the first set, where the Otters staved off four set points before succumbing 26–24, it was apparent this one might go the distance. CSUMB never trailed after the fifth point of the second set, polishing off the win when Ding and freshman Victoria Clardy (Westminster/Marina HS) combined to stuff Danielle Dahle.

But UCSD quickly snuffed the Otter momentum by opening the third set on a 17–4 run. Though the Otters seemed to find their footing, out–scoring the Tritons 9–8 over the final 17 points of the 25–13 setback, UCSD went for the coup des grâce by opening the fourth set on an 8–0 run. But that's where the Otter magic began.

A pair of Ashen kills (Nos. 411 and 412) keyed a 5–1 spurt that got CSUMB back in the set. Her record–setting kill made it 14–12 UCSD. CSUMB finally pulled ahead at 18–17 on a Jessica Malcolm (Lodi HS) kill and evened the match at two sets apiece on consecutive kills by Ashen and Janai Johnson (Sacramento/Bradshaw Christian).

After opening the decisive fifth set with a Clardy kill, however, the Otter offense went silent, and UCSD used several little runs to ease away  and secure the match.

CSUMB finishes the season 12–18 overall and 6–16 in CCAA play. The Otters also matched the school record for home wins in a season with nine.