BOX SCORE

SEASIDE, Calif. — Cal State Monterey Bay junior Julia Ashen (North Salinas HS) continued to sail in uncharted waters, knocking down 25 kills in an unprecedented third consecutive match Friday night. She got more than a little help from her friend this time as junior setter Kelsey Johnston (Ripon HS) broke her own CSUMB 4–set record with 56 assists to lead the Otters past visiting Humboldt State 25–23, 25–16, 25–27, 25–18.

Johnson broke her own record of 51 assists set in a 4–set win over Alaska–Anchorage on Sept. 1, 2012. She now holds the top four marks for assists in a 4–set match in CSUMB history and five of the top 10. Johnston also own the all–time Otter match record with 62 assists set in a 5–set win over Cal Baptist earlier this season.

Not coincidentally, Ashen set a school record with 25 kills in the aforementioned win over Alaska–Anchorage, a mark teammate Jessica Malcolm (Lodi HS) broke with 27 in a Sept. 13 win at Notre Dame de Namur. Ashen has now recorded 25 or more kills in a match seven times in her career, breaking Rheann Fall's record of six set from 2008–11.

Johnston and Ashen got off to a sizzling start with 18 assists and nine kills respectively in a first set well played by both teams. With Humboldt keying on Ashen, Johnston exploited the effort of freshman middle blocker DJ Gresham-Ryder (Stockton/Cesar Chavez HS), who collected six kills on seven swings in the second set as the Otters took control of the match.

Humboldt overcame an early 5–point deficit to rally late for a 27–25 win in the third set to extend the match, but a Gresham-Ryder block early in the fourth set broke a 6–6 tie and the Otters gently eased away for the win.

Gresham-Ryder finished with a season–high 11 kills while Malcolm reached double figures for the 10th consecutive match with 14 kills. Sophomore libero Rachel Cookus (Thousand Oaks HS) led the stout Otter defense with 21 digs.

Symone Hayden led three Lumberjacks in double figures with 17 kills. Ashley Owen added 13 kills and a match–high five blocks for Humboldt State (6–4, 1–2 CCAA).

CSUMB (7–4, 1–2) returns to action Friday night when it closes its 4–match homestand by hosting Cal Poly Pomona. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.