Box Score

SEASIDE, Calif. – The San Francisco State women's volleyball team received double-digit kill totals from four players on Friday to highlight a thrilling come-from-behind five-set victory over Cal State Monterey Bay (25-19, 17-25, 19-25, 25-16, 15-9) in a California Collegiate Athletic Association showdown at the Kelp Bed.

Kelly Ostello tied for match-high honors with 17 kills, Alyssa Rusin and Megan Johnson added 12 put-aways apiece, while Meagan Wright launched 11 winners of her own to help the Gators (14-5, 9-3 CCAA) sweep the season series from the Otters for the second straight year and maintain a share of second place in the conference standings.

Rusin hit at a blazing .750 clip for the evening, committing zero errors in 16 attempts, while Johnson racked up her seventh double-double of the season after posting 15 digs.  Not to be outdone, Iris Tolenada doubled up on the stat sheet for the fourth consecutive outing and 12th time overall this year after handing out a match-best 48 assists and scooping up 20 digs.  With her performance, Tolenada became SF State's career leader in assists with 4,176 helpers, surpassing Amy Thomas' total of 4,146 recorded from 1995-98.

On the flip side, CSUMB (10-10, 4-8 CCAA) was paced by Julia Ashen, who contributed 17 kills, while Jessica Malcolm finished with nine non-returnables of her own.  In addition, Rachel Freeno led all players with 22 digs, while Kelsey Johnston completed a double-double with 44 assists and 10 digs.

Despite trailing in digs (78-75), total blocks (7-6) and committing more attack errors (22-21), the Gators persevered by holding a 60-52 advantage in kills and a .217-.189 edge in hitting percentage.  SF State, which hit just .058 in the second and third sets, woke up in the nick of time, posting a .370 attack percentage over the final two frames to escape with the hard-fought win.

With their backs against the wall, the Gators came out with determination in the fourth set, forging an insurmountable 16-7 lead following a Rusin put-away and a combined block by Johnson and Kaileen Mejia.  The Purple and Gold also benefited from an ice-cold Otter offense, which knocked down just eight kills and committed nine attack errors during the frame.

Shortly thereafter, Rusin took center stage in the fifth and deciding set, notching kills on all six of her shot attempts during a 10-6 SF State blitz that broke a 3-3 deadlock and put the visitors on the cusp of victory at 13-9. Jessica Nicerio then put the finishing touches on the comeback with a pair of service aces as the Gator bench erupted in jubilation.

Earlier, SF State fashioned a timely run in the opening set as kills by Ostello and Wright punctuated an 11-5 surge that snapped a 10-10 tie and put the Purple and Gold in the driver's seat at 21-15.

The two sides fought through eight ties and five lead changes in the second stanza until CSUMB uncorked a 7-2 spurt, capped a Victoria Clardy kill, to jump in front for good at 20-15.

The Otters rode that momentum into the third frame, racing to an 11-2 lead following a Rachel Cookus service ace.  The Gators methodically chipped away at the deficit as another Wright put-away brought the visitors to within striking distance at 19-16.  However, Lacee Ventura answered with a kill for CSUMB on the ensuing serve and then combined with Clardy on a block to douse the threat, setting the stage for the Purple and Gold's rally, which would soon commence in the fourth set.

SF State, which received votes in this week's AVCA Division II Coaches Poll, will have little time to savor its victory as it tackles Cal State East Bay in another CCAA road tilt on Saturday in Hayward starting at 7 p.m.  The Pioneers (7-12, 2-10 CCAA) were dealt a four-set defeat at home by Sonoma State on Friday.