Matadors Take Season Opener in Four Over Saint Francis

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Senior Arvis Greene knocked down a match-high 15 kills to lead three Matador hitters in double figures as 11th-ranked CSUN defeated Saint Francis (Pa.) 25-21, 29-31, 25-17, 25-20 in the opening match of the UCSB Asics Invitational Thursday at Rob Gym.

Greene, sophomore Ksawery Tomsia (14) and junior Dimitar Kalchev (13) all reached double figures in kills as the Matadors (1-0) hit .432 (55-14-95) as a team in winning their season opener for the third consecutive season.

"We have great talent but we have to learn how to play and that's going to take some time," said CSUN head coach Jeff Campbell who opened his 21st season on the Matador bench. "I thought we played well but we have a lot to work on. We hit really well as a team but we have some passing and serving issues that we need to work out."

The Matadors committed 26 service errors while serving six aces, two coming from Greene. Greene's 15 kills came on .429 hitting as he also added six digs and a pair blocks. Tomsia hit .348 on 23 swings and Kalchev connected at a .417 clip on 24 attacks to go with three digs and three blocks. Junior middle Eric Chance chipped in eight kills, hitting .583 to go with a match-high six blocks.

Junior setter Schylar Lillethorup posted 44 assists and six digs while serving one of the teams' six aces. Junior Emmett Enriques and freshman Sean Mitchell each had seven digs in sharing the libero spot.

Josiah Byers put up a solo block to give the Matadors a 16-12 lead in the opening set. Greene put down a pair of kills to keep the CSUN lead at four (22-18) before Kalchev powered a kill off the Red Flash block on set point giving the Matadors, who hit .444, the 25-21 win.

Saint Francis opened set two on a 4-0 run and held the lead for much of the set. The Red Flash maintained a 20-18 when they put up a double block on a Tomsia attack but the Matadors staged a 5-2 run, capped by a Chance kill to take a 23-22 lead. With St. Francis serving with a 30-29 lead, Byers was whistled for a net violation giving the Red Flash the 31-29 win.

The final two sets were all Matadors as they hit .611 to take the third set 25-17 before holding on for a 25-20 win in the final frame.

Cole Thompson had 14 kills to lead Saint Francis (0-1) while Stephen Braswell added 11 kills.

The Matadors play their second match of the UCSB Asics Invitational Friday morning as they take on NJIT at 10 a.m. in UCSB's Thunderdome.

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Matadors Take Season Opener in Four Over Saint Francis

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Team Stats

Arvis Greene

Ksawery Tomsia

Dimitar Kalchev

Eric Chance

Players Mentioned

Josiah Byers

Eric Chance

Emmett Enriques

Arvis Greene

Dimitar Kalchev

Schylar Lillethorup

Sean Mitchell

Ksawery Tomsia