SEASIDE, Calif. – Buoyed by senior Beth Perkins' (Woodland, Calif., Woodland Christian HS, Mt. Hood CC) season-high 23 kills, the San Francisco State women's volleyball team outlasted Cal State Monterey Bay Tuesday evening in a gritty five-set battle (25-14, 20-25, 25-19, 22-25, 15-11) at Otter Sports Center. With the win, the Gators improve to 9-2 on the season and 2-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, while the Otters drop to 5-5 on the season and 1-2 in league play.
Perkins hit a season-best .375 on the evening, adding 11 digs as she notched her seventh double-double of the 2009 campaign, while freshman Iris Tolenada (Antioch, Calif., Deer Valley HS) contributed a match-high 52 assists. Junior Vanessa Shaw (Santa Barbara, Calif., Dos Pueblos HS, Santa Barbara CC) got into the act as well, anchoring the defense with 17 digs, while freshman Lauren Walsh (Coto de Caza, Calif., Tesoro HS) recorded a double-double of her own with 13 kills and 10 digs.
As a team, SF State outhit CSUMB .260-.230, maintaining an advantage in kills (67-52), assists (62-50) and digs (78-65) en route to the hard-fought victory.
The Gators never trailed in the opening set, jumping to an early 8-2 lead on the strength of three kills by sophomore Robyn Hall (Hayward, Calif., Bishop O'Dowd HS, Univ. of Portland). The Otters managed to narrow the gap to 11-10 shortly thereafter, but could not gain the upper hand as two service aces and a kill by sophomore Halimah Oswald (San Francisco, Calif., Waldorf HS) highlighted a 14-4 SF State outburst to close out the frame.
In the second stanza, the Gators nursed a 10-9 lead before a 5-1 spurt put the Otters ahead to stay at 14-11. SF State trimmed the deficit to 16-15 following a CSUMB service error and a kill by junior Lauren Hoffman (Fresno,Calif., Clovis East HS, Fresno City College); however, the Otters kept the visitors at bay with a 9-5 run to even the contest at one set apiece.
The Gators got off to a sluggish start in set number three, falling behind 5-2 as the Otters tallied four of their first five points off attack errors. SF State displayed its resolve though, taking its first lead of the frame at 18-15 following a Perkins kill and a Tolenada service ace sandwiched around a pair of CSUMB attack errors. The Otters got the next two points, but four kills by Walsh highlighted a 7-2 outburst to secure the set.
The Gators had their mettle tested once again at the start the fourth set after finding themselves on the wrong side of a 9-3 deficit. Aided by three Tolenada service aces and a Lamet kill, SF State took eight of the next nine points to go out in front 11-10. The Gators could not distance themselves from their adversary as CSUMB reclaimed the lead for good at 18-15 following a kill and two SF State attack errors. The Gators made things interesting after a Walsh kill brought the visitors back to within 22-21. However, the comeback attempt was derailed as a kill by the Otters' Kerri Sudarsana netted the clinching point.
Unfazed, SF State came out firing in the decisive fifth set, with two Perkins kills figuring largely in its early 5-1 bulge. The lead would prove to be short-lived as CSUMB fashioned a 6-2 run to tie the score at 7-7. The Gators withstood the home team's challenge, however, benefiting from two Otter attack errors and an Oswald kill to build a 10-7 advantage they would not relinquish. CSUMB threw one last scare into SF State, pulling to within 13-11, but an Otter service error and a Lamet kill ended the suspense.
The Gators continue their busy stretch this weekend when they return home to battle a pair of CCAA foes in the Main Gymnasium. SF State will face No. 13 Sonoma State on Friday, Sept. 18, before tackling Humboldt State the following evening on Saturday, Sept. 19. Both matches are slated to get underway at 7 p.m.
Box Score
