SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The visiting San Francisco State women's volleyball team ran in to a buzz saw on Friday, dropping a three-set decision to second-ranked Cal State San Bernardino (25-12, 25-16, 25-9) in a California Collegiate Athletic Association match at Coussoulis Arena.
With the loss, the Gators slip to 19-10 overall and 12-9 in conference action, while the Coyotes clinched at least a share of the CCAA title, improving to 28-1 on the season and 20-1 in league play.
SF State was unable to extinguish CSUSB's offensive explosion as the Coyotes owned a decisive .395-.053 edge in hitting percentage. The host school had three players reach double figures in kills on the evening, including a match-high 14 from Ashtin Hall, followed by Samantha Middleborn (11) and Megan Johnson (10).
The Gators were led by senior Beth Perkins (Woodland, Calif., Woodland Christian HS, Mt. Hood CC), who posted seven kills, while freshman Iris Tolenada (Antioch, Calif., Deer Valley HS) recorded her 21st double-double of the year with a team-best 18 assists and 11 digs.
SF State scored the first point of the opening set on a kill by sophomore Halimah Oswald (San Francisco, Calif., Waldorf HS) and trailed just 7-5 on a Perkins kill shortly thereafter. However, CSUSB quickly parlayed a 13-5 run into a safe 20-10 advantage it would not relinquish.
In the second frame, the score was knotted at 4-4 when the Coyotes benefitted from three consecutive Gator attack errors to take the lead for good at 7-4. CSUSB eventually widened the gap to 19-11, as a Hall kill capped a 15-7 Coyote flurry.
SF State owned a slim 2-1 edge on the scoreboard in the early stages of set number three after a Tolenada kill, but could not generate any further momentum. Moments later with CSUSB out in front 10-8, the Coyotes rattled off seven straight points, highlighted by five straight Hall kills to build a comfortable 17-8 cushion. CSUSB promptly closed out the match with an 8-1 run, as another Hall kill aptly provided the clincher.
The Gators, ranked ninth in the latest NCAA Division II West Region rankings, close out their regular-season slate on Saturday when they tackle Cal Poly Pomona beginning at 7 p.m.
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