BOX SCORE

SEASIDE, Calif. — It's been said that good things come to those who wait. Just don't try telling that to the Cal State Monterey Bay volleyball team.

After tying the school record with its 15th win Friday night versus Cal State Dominguez Hills, the 2013 Otters wasted no time in grabbing the brass ring for themselves, defeating Cal State L.A. 25–16, 17–25, 20–25, 25–20, 15–12 Saturday night in The Kelp Bed for their 16th win of the season.

Not only did CSUMB (16–9, 10–7 CCAA) eclipse the record first set by the 2010 Otters, but they did it against a team battling with them for an at large berth in next month's NCAA Pacific Regional. The win gives CSUMB a sweep of the season series and sole possession of fourth place in the CCAA over CSULA (14–11, 9–8).

Almost overshadowed in Saturday's win was a record–setting performance by junior outside hitter Julia Ashen (North Salinas HS), who put down 22 kills against L.A. and, in so doing, broke her own school record for kills in a season. Ashen needed 12 kills to surpass the 426 she posted in 2012 and now has 437 with five matches remaining in the regular season.

Even more overshadowed than Ashen's record were the match–high 24 kills of sophomore Jessica Malcolm (Lodi HS), who now owns and even 400 for the season. She joins Ashen and former All–American Rheann Fall as the only three players in Otter history to record 400 kills in a season.

But onto the match itself. CSUMB hit .300 and led almost wire–to–wire in cruising to a 25–16 win in the first set. Hopes for a quick Otter victory ended midway through the second set, however, when Kymberly Silveyra served three consecutive aces as part of an 8–1 run that broke a 14–14 tie and helped the Golden Eagle draw even at a set apiece.

A pair of Silveyra kills proved crucial in the third set as the Golden Eagle junior found the floor on consecutive points to break a 19–19 tie and bring L.A. to within one set of victory. Things went from dark gray to nearly pitch black for the Otters when L.A. rode that momentum to a 6–1 lead to open the fourth set.

That's when Malcolm and Ashen took over the match. The duo combined for 10 kills and a .450 attach percentage over the balance of the fourth set. Slowly, the Otters caught up and then crept ahead of the Golden Eagles.

L.A. drew even for the last time at 13–13, but a pair of DJ Gresham-Ryder (Stockton/Chavez HS) kills put the Otters up 15–13 and they wouldn't trail again. A Malcolm kill and an Ashen ace on set point forced the deciding fifth set.

The fifth set was close throughout and was tied as late as 12–12. That's when an error by Silveyra and a kill by Malcolm gave the Otters the only match point of the night. Malcolm and Victoria Clardy (Westminster/Marina HS) then combined to stuff Bethanee Boggs.

The Otters weren't about to wait for the win.

CSUMB returns to action Tuesday for a rare midweek match against Cal State East Bay. First serve in The Kelp Bed is set for 7 p.m.