SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos volleyball team (1-3 ) collected its first win of 2024 with a four-set victory over Chadron State (0-4) on Saturday morning before falling to host Point Loma (3-0) in three straight sets in the San Diego Invite finale.
MATCH 1: CSUSM 3 – CSC 1 (25-18, 25-18, 22-25, 25-19).
TOP PERFORMERS
Addison Kranz – 20 kills | .432 clip
Jessica Thomas – 15 kills | 2 digs
Danielle McCasland – 15 digs, 3 aces | 2 blocks
Gracie Zaitz – 48 assists | 2 blocks
Jackie Phillips – 18 digs | 2 aces
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Behind a .424 attack percentage, the Cougars claimed a 25-18 victory in the opening set that featured a 14-4 run that was capped by a pair of Kranz kills.
- Trailing by as much as 9-3, the Cougars came roaring back to take a 14-13 lead in the second set. CSUSM continued the run at 11-5 to match the first set score at 25-18.
- The Eagles were not going to go away quietly as they prevented the sweep with a 25-22 win in the third set.
- CSUSM responded by jumping out to a 6-0 behind three McCasland aces, a pair of kills by Kranz and a Bakken kill. The Cougars led wire-to-wire in the fourth set to record a 25-19 win and clinch the match victory.
QUICK HITS
- This this was the first meeting between these two teams.
- The Cougars led in almost every category including 10-7 in aces, 59-41 in kills, 71-59 in digs and 54-39 assists. The only stat that Chadron led in was blocks at 6-5.
- CSUSM finished the match with a .282 attack percentage while holding the Eagles to just .179.
MATCH 2: CSUSM 0 – PLNU 3 (16-25, 20-25, 21-25)
TOP PERFORMERS
Danielle McCasland – 10 kills | .391 clip | 6 digs
Gracie Zaitz – 22 assists | 2 aces
Kelli Miechowicz – 5 blocks
Mya Galvan – 12 digs | 1 ace
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Cougars went up 3-1 capped by a Zaitz ace in the opening set before the Sea Lions responded with seven unanswered points. PLNU collected a 25-16 first set win.
- The second set consisted of nine tie scores and two lead changes with the Sea Lions breaking away at the 18-all mark to take the set win at 25-20.
- The Cougars came out fighting in the third set, taking a 15-12 lead on an Addison Kranz kill. CSUSM's final lead was at 19-18 on a Thomas kill before PLNU clinched the match with a 25-21 win.
QUICK HITS
- CSUSM outblocked PLNU 7-5 behind Miechowicz's five blocks.
- PLNU's Abigail Nua led all hitters with 14 kills.
- The Sea Lions lead the all-time series at 9-2.
UP NEXT
CSUSM will host the Cougar Classic next weekend, beginning with matches against Westmont (1 p.m.) and Azusa Pacific (6 p.m.) on Friday.
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