SAN FRANCISCO – Staring down the barrel of a 2-0 deficit in sets on Friday night, the San Francisco State women's volleyball team once again displayed its resiliency; however a belated comeback effort fell just short as eighth-ranked Cal State San Bernardino escaped with a 3-2 victory (25-15, 25-21, 23-25, 20-25, 15-8) in a California Collegiate Athletic Association match at the Main Gymnasium.
With the loss, the Gators drop to 10-7 on the season and 7-5 in conference play, while the Coyotes raise their record to 14-2 overall and 11-1 in the CCAA.
“We did some great things to come back in games three and four, but we let up in the fifth one,” said SF State head coach Michelle Patton. “We need to learn from this one, get over it and be mentally prepared for tomorrow night (against Cal Poly Pomona).”
Individually, three Gators recorded double figures in kills, led by Lauren Walsh's 14, followed by Robyn Hall (13) and Halimah Oswald (11). Oswald also flashed her versatility at the net, finishing with two block solos and five block assists to go along with a team-high three service aces. In addition, Iris Tolenada aided the Gator cause with 43 assists, while Sarah Kurfess tied for match-high honors with 21 digs. Not to be outdone, Kelsie Brennan came off the bench to collect a career-high five block assists.
Conversely, CSUSB had four players reach the double-digit plateau in kills, including Jane Chafeh's match-best 18, followed by Megan Johnson (15), Samantha Middleborn (13) and Nicole Moore (10). Johnson hit at a .333 clip for the evening, while Middleborn was the proverbial rock in SF State's shoe throughout the match as she finished with 10 block assists. Camille Smith also posted strong numbers with 45 assists and six block assists, while Kelcie Tolan scooped up 21 digs.
Despite owning a 71-61 edge in digs and serving up nine aces, the Gators were outhit by a margin of .205-.097, while the Coyotes maintained a 63-47 advantage in kills and a 17.0-13.0 spread in total blocks.
With the score knotted at 3-3 in the opening, CSUSB crafted a 15-4 run capped by a Middleborn kill to take a commanding 18-7 it would not relinquish. SF State was limited to a -.111 attack percentage during the frame on just eight kills in 27 attempts with 11 errors, while the Coyotes hit .308 (12-4-26).
The Gators were in pursuit mode for much of the second stanza as the visitors fashioned a pair of seven-point leads, including a 23-16 span following a Smith kill. Moments later, SF State pulled to within three at 24-21 after a kill by Hall and a CSUSB attack error. However, the rally stalled when a kill by Johnson iced the set, giving the Coyotes a 2-0 bulge heading to intermission.
The Gators seemed destined to be swept after falling behind by a 9-3 count in the third frame. However, a Brennan kill sparked an 11-3 blitz to put the Purple and Gold in front 14-12. Shortly thereafter, SF State stretched the margin to three at 18-15 when Oswald and Brennan combined for a block. CSUSB quickly responded with a 4-0 surge, punctuated by a Chafeh kill and a Gator attack error, to reclaim a 19-18 edge. SF State maintained its poise at this juncture, though, answering the Coyotes' run with a 6-2 spurt of its own as a blocking error put the hosts up 24-21. CSUSB threw in one last scare with two straight points, but an errant serve gave the Gators the set and new life.
Set number four was also a tight battle featuring nine ties and three lead changes. With the score deadlocked at 15-15, SF State closed the frame with a strong 10-5 run, highlighted by four Walsh kills and two by Hall.
In the fifth and deciding set, SF State trailed just 4-3 after a Walsh kill. However, CSUSB reeled off nine straight points to dash the Purple and Gold comeback hopes. Chafeh figured prominently in the Coyote run with three kills and a solo block, while the visitors also took advantage of two attack errors and a bad set. Trailing 13-3, the Gators managed to narrow the gap to 14-8, following a block by Oswald and Brennan. However, the deficit proved too much to overcome as a Chafeh kill provided the clinching point.
Prior to Friday's contest, the Gators donned pink t-shirts during warm-ups to highlight Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
SF State returns to the court on Saturday when it squares off against Cal Poly Pomona in another league clash beginning at 7 p.m.
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