Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

HAYWARD, Calif. – Meagan Wright blasted a combined 33 kills and Iris Tolenada contributed two double-doubles as the San Francisco State women's volleyball team split its opening two matches in dramatic fashion Friday at the Route 92 Showdown inside Pioneer Gym on the campus of Cal State East Bay. 

The Gators rallied for a 3-2 triumph over Academy of Art University (24-26, 18-25, 25-19, 25-20, 15-9) in their midday encounter before falling to Fresno Pacific in another five-set battle (25-18, 22-25, 25-16, 15-25, 15-11) later in the afternoon.
 
Wright hit at an impressive .435 clip for the day and added seven total blocks (one solo, six assists), while Jessica Nicerio combined for 59 digs as the Purple and Gold moves to 4-1 on the season.

SF State 3, Academy of Art 2
Kelly Ostello (21) and Meagan Wright (20) each recorded career highs after reaching the 20-kill plateau, while Megan Johnson launched 12 put-aways of her own to help the Gators overcome a 2-0 deficit in sets against the Urban Knights. 
 
The SF State cause was also aided by Iris Tolenada, who surpassed the 50-assist barrier for the 20th time in her brilliant career with 56 helpers, while Jessica Nicerio anchored the defense with 34 digs. Not to be outdone, Tolenada finished with a double-double after scooping up 18 shots, while Ostello served up four of the team's eight aces.
 
Despite trailing in total blocks (13.0-8.0), the Purple and Gold maintained a 67-42 advantage in kills and a sizeable 104-85 margin in digs.
 
After posting a meager .021 attack percentage with 22 errors during the first two sets, the Gators sharpened their efficiency considerably over the final three frames, hitting at a .286 clip with just 13 miscues.
 
The two sides combined for 18 ties and 10 lead changes in the opening stanza as SF State gained service at 24-23 following a mishandled ball.  However, the Gators were unable to snare the clinching point, committing three straight attack errors to hand Art U the set.
 
The Knights carried their good fortune into set number two, building a 13-6 advantage on a block by Lindsay Elgin and Taylor Suchy.  SF State methodically chipped away at the deficit as an Ostello kill capped a 10-3 spurt that knotted the score at 16-16.  The momentum was quickly short-circuited, however, as another block by Brittany Ulmer and Angela Heath ignited a 9-2 run to give Art U a seemingly comfortable 2-0 edge in sets.
 
The Purple and Gold found itself on the wrong side of a 9-8 score early in the third frame as a Midori Le service ace prompted a timeout.  However, the complexion of the set quickly changed in the Gators' favor as consecutive kills by Kelsie Brennan and Wright, a Nicerio ace and an Urban Knight attack error catapulted SF State in the lead to stay at 12-9.  A bad set and hitting error allowed Art U to throw in one last scare, but two Johnson kills and another by Jaclyn Clark down the stretch kept the Gator hopes alive.
 
SF State posted its finest hitting percentage of the match at .373 in set number four, knocking down 17 kills on 35 swings with just five miscues.  The Gators never trailed in the frame, but led by just a slim 19-17 margin, until Wright smacked a kill and combined with Tolenada on a block to spark a late 6-3 surge.
 
The two teams were deadlocked a 5-5 in the final frame when Ostello personally took charge with three kills and an ace during a decisive 6-1 run that provided the Purple and Gold an insurmountable 11-6 advantage.  Moments later, Johnson knocked down a kill, while Wright and Tolenada joined forces on a block to complete the exhausting comeback.
 
Art U was led by Heath's 13 kills, while Janelle Burnett and Elgin added 23 digs and eight blocks, respectively, in the defeat.
 
Fresno Pacific 3, SF State 2
The Gators' second match of the day was a defensive struggle as the two sides combined for 62 attack errors. SF State hit just .096, compared to the Sunbirds' .105 clip; however, FPU displayed its prowess at the net, owning a decisive edge in total blocks (15.5-6.0), while maintaining a 91-80 margin in digs.
 
Meagan Wright (.379) was once again the hitting star for SF State with 13 additional kills, while Iris Tolenada notched her second straight double-double with 38 assists and 13 digs, but it wasn't enough as the Sunbirds pulled away in the fifth set to secure the victory.
 
FPU was paced by Rupia Inck, who collected a match-best 17 kills to go along with 21 digs, while Jessie Alcorn totaled 11 put-aways of her own.  In addition, Erica Adachi doubled up on the stat sheet as well with 23 assists and 19 digs, while Kathleen Anderson finished with eight block assists. Elsewhere, Hannah Butler and the Gators' Jessica Nicerio tied for match-high honors with 25 digs each.
 
Trailing 2-1 in sets, SF State battled back with a convincing performance in the fourth frame, launching 13 kills on an economical 30 attempts with one miscue (.400), while the Sunbirds totaled more errors (9) than kills (8).  Still, the Gators clung to a precarious 12-11 lead until Katie Judd keyed a timely 13-4 outburst with four kills to help even the match.
 
SF State found itself in pursuit mode throughout set number five, but could draw no closer than 8-7 following a Kelly Ostello kill.  Shortly thereafter, FPU gave itself some breathing room with kills by Inck and Adachi, two blocks and a Mikayla Tucker service ace to ultimately close out another draining contest.
 
The Gators will wrap up competition at the Route 92 Showdown on Saturday at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, squaring off against Cal Baptist at 11:30 a.m., followed by a clash with co-host NDNU at 7 p.m.