BOX SCORE

SEASIDE, Calif. — The Cal State Monterey Bay volleyball team came tantalizingly close to the signature win it's been seeking throughout its record–breaking 2013 campaign only fall in five to No. 12 UC San Diego Friday night in The Kelp Bed.

CSUMB (17–10, 11–8 CCAA) took the first two sets before UCSD (23–3, 15–3) clawed its way back for a 25–27, 21–25, 25–22, 25–23, 15–10 win. It was the second time UCSD rallied from behind to beat the Otters in five this season.

The dynamic duo of Jessica Malcolm (Lodi HS) and Julia Ashen (North Salinas HS) carried the mail for the Otters again, combining for 48 of CSUMB's 67 kills.. Malcolm finished with a career–high 29 kills, good for the No. 4 spot on the CSUMB single match record list. Ashen added 19 kills and 17 digs for her 21st double–double of the season.

Caitlin Brenton led a more diverse UCSD attack, leading five Tritons in double figures with 25 kills.

All five sets could have gone either way, but the key sequence in the match came late in the fourth set. UCSD had just rallied from a 19–14 deficit to tie the set at 20–20. Ashen went up against no block and crushed a shot inside the 10–foot line and off the side of Brenton's face. Somehow, the ball popped back and just crawled over the net to credit the Triton junior with an unusual kill and UCSD with a 21–20 lead.

Sophie Rowe went back to serve the next point for UCSD and rolled her effort off the tape for an ace and a 22–20 Triton advantage.

The Otters rallied back on kills by Ashen and Malcolm and a Brenton hitting error to take a 23–22 lead. After a Danielle Dahle kill leveled the score, CSUMB thought it had earned a match point when DJ Gresham-Ryder (Stockton/Chavez HS) hit a slide down the line that appeared to hit the foot of the Triton left back defender. But the ball was adjudged out and UCSD served out the set on the ensuing point.

CSUMB will get its second shot at a nationally–ranked opponent when No. 13 Cal State San Bernardino visits The Kelp Bed Saturday for a 7 p.m. first serve. The match will be senior night, with Molly Kennedy (Oakland/Bishop O'Dowd) and Lacee Ventura (Salinas HS) playing their final collegiate home matches.