SEASIDE, Calif. — The Cal State Monterey Bay volleyball team gave perhaps its best performance of the young season but came up just short against in-form Cal State L.A. Tuesday night, dropping a 25-21, 30-28, 13-25, 25-20 decision to the Golden Eagles in The Kelp Bed.

CSULA (8-1 overall) won for the eighth time in nine outings this season while the Otters fell to 1-5. It was the CCAA opener for both squads.

The Otters got a match-high 20 kills from senior Jessica Malcolm (Lodi HS) and five block assists from Victoria Clardy (Westminster/Marina HS). Senior libero Rachel Cookus (Thousand Oaks HS) chipped in four aces and 24 digs.

The match pivoted on the taut second set. The Otters served three times for the set. But a pair of kills by CCAA kill leader Iona Lofrano and one from Angela Thurmond staved off each set point before a pair of Otter errors handed the Golden Eagles what proved to be an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the match.

CSUMB returns to action Thursday night by hosting defending West Region champion Sonoma State for a 7 p.m. meeting in The Kelp Bed. The Otters will close their current 4-match homestand Saturday against Humboldt State.