SAN FRANCISCO — The Cal State Monterey Bay volleyball team nearly pulled off not one, but two epic comebacks only to fall just short in a 20–25, 13–25, 26–24, 25–20, 11–15 loss at San Francisco State Friday night in The Swamp.

Senior libero Rachel Cookus (Thousand Oaks HS) became just the third player in CSUMB history to record 30 or more digs in a match twice in her career by collecting 30 Friday night. Senior outside hitter Julia Ashen (North Salinas HS), meanwhile, took over second place on the Otter career kills list with her 11 kills Friday giving her 1,256 and moving her past Brittany Etchings (1,252).

After a close first set, SFSU looked like it was going to make short work of the Otters when it rolled to a 25–13 win in Set 2. The Otters responded with heart in the third set. They trailed for the entire set until a Ciara Reistad (La Quinta HS) ace put them up 23–22. The Gators tied the set at 24–24, but a block by Whitney Hirst (Huntington Beach/Edison HS) and Victoria Clardy (Westminster/Edison HS) gave CSUMB set point before a Jessica Malcolm (Lodi HS) kill extended the match.

As they did in the third set, the Otters rallied late in the fourth, this time scoring seven of the final eight points to turn a 19–18 deficit into the 25–20 win that forced the decisive fifth set. Once again, SFSU raced to an early lead, this time jumping ahead 10–3. Once again, the Otters responded, this time rallying to within 13–11 before the comeback magic ended and the Gators won the final two points to seal the match.

"I'm proud of the way we fought to come back," said CSUMB Head Coach Jody Garry (@JodyGarry). "Julia was awesome defensively, playing throughout pain again. Rachel was really good, too, despite playing with the flu."

Malcolm continued her late season surge, leading the Otters with 18 kills. Janai Johnson (Sacramento/Bradshaw Christian) also played a strong match with 12 kills, four blocks and a .476 attack percentage. Ashen added 17 digs to her 11 kills for her third consecutive double–double.

CSUMB will play its final road match of 2014 when it travels to meet CCAA–leading Sonoma State Saturday night in Rohnert Park. The Otters return home to close out the season Nov. 14 and 15 against Cal Poly Pomona and UC San Diego.