CSUN Pulls Off Another Five-Set Comeback in Season Finale

Saturday, November 21

Fullerton, Calif.

7:30 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

8-20, 7-9BWC

Cal State Fullerton

0-28, 0-16BWC

CSUN

Cal State Fullerton

CSUN Pulls Off Another Five-Set Comeback in Season Finale

11/21/2015 10:32:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, CA - For the second time in as many nights, the CSUN women's volleyball team pulled off an improbable five-set comeback win as the Matadors defeated Cal State Fullerton 23-25, 23-25, 26-24, 25-23, 17-15 Saturday at Titan Gym.

The Matadors, who pulled off another five-set comeback against UC Riverside on Friday, finish with a record of 8-20 overall and 7-9 in the Big West.

Senior Cieana Stinson, who had a rare off night Friday against UC Riverside, came back with a match-high 25 kills against the Titans. Stinson took 70 swings over five sets while Aeryn Owens and Nada Dragovic combined for 26 kills on 67 attacks. Owens hit .294 on 34 swings to go with five digs and a pair of solo blocks. In addition to 10 kills, Dragovic added three aces and 14 digs.

CSUN, which hit .198 as a team, had 75 kills as sophomore setter Lauren Conati handed out a career-high 63 assists. The host Titans hit .182 with 57 team kills and committed 12 fewer hitting errors than the Matadors.

After the hosts won the first two sets by the identical scores of 25-23, CSUN battled down to the wire in the third to stave off Fullerton's first win. With the score knotted at 23-23, Dragovic's kill gave CSUN its first set point. The Titans answered but kills by Julie Haake and Dragovic ensued and the Matadors forced a fourth set.

Fullerton then looked to be on its way to the win as the hosts opened up a 22-17 lead late in the fourth frame. But a pair of Owens kills sparked CSUN on a 7-0 run that erased the Titan lead and set the Matadors up with set point at 24-22. Fullerton saved one set point before Owens' attack found the floor and CSUN was headed to a fifth set for the second straight night.

In the fifth, the Matadors jumped out to a 4-2 lead and extended the lead to 7-3 following a Titan attack error. CSUN still led by four (8-4) when the hosts rallied to tie the set at 9-9 when Owens' attack was stuffed. An Owens-Rachel Diaz block followed by a Kristey Markle ace put the Matadors back in front 11-9 but Fullerton would battle back to tie the score at 12 and again at 13. Dragovic's next attack went wide and the Titans had match point at 14-13 when Haake saved one match point with a kill. Alia Casino's ensuing serve was wide and Fullerton had its second match point at 15-14 when another Owens kill followed by a Titan hitting error gave CSUN match point at 16-15. Diaz then capped the comeback as her attack found the floor and the Matadors had the five-set win.

Megann Delgado led Cal State Fullerton (0-28, 0-16) with 17 kills while Katelyn Nielsen and Kyra Hill each added 15.

- GOMATADORS.COM -