BOX SCORE #14 Sonoma State 3, Cal State L.A. 1 (25-15, 25-21, 21-25, 25-12) -- Box Score
ROHNERT PARK -- Led by the match-high 21 kills off the right hand of
Caylie Seitz, the Sonoma State volleyball team used an all-around effort to dispatch visiting Cal State L.A. in four sets (25-15, 25-21, 21-25, 25-12) on Friday night at The Wolves' Den. The Seawolves remain in a tie for second place in the CCAA standings with UC San Diego at 11-3, improving to 18-4 overall. The Golden Eagles, meanwhile, drop to 14-8 and 9-5 in conference play.
Seitz, who is the CCAA's most efficient outside hitter (and fourth among all players in the conference) with a .336 hitting percentage, continued to sizzle from her position on the left side, throwing down 21 kills in 46 attacks and erring just twice (.413) to lead all players on offense Friday. She also added eight digs defensively, which was one short of tying her career-high.
The Seawolves completely shut down Cal State L.A.'s offense, most of which comes from Iona Lofrano, who is second in the CCAA in kills per set. The stifling Sonoma defense held Lofrano to a negative hitting percentage (-.019) with 10 kills and 11 errors in 53 total swings. Bethanee Boggs and Loreal Carter chipped in with nine kills, but the Golden Eagles were held to just .111 on offense as a team.
Nicole Gragnola led all players with 19 digs, followed by
Kelsey Hull with 13 and
Hayley Ross with 10, while
Ashley Robinson stuffed attacks all night, rejecting seven total attacks, including three of the solo variety, all career-highs. Hull was all over the court Friday, adding five assisted blocks to go with 12 kills, the aforementioned 13 digs and one service ace as
Madelyn Densberger also smashed 12 kills with seven digs, two aces and a block at the net. As a team, the Seawolves hit .278, which is eight points above their conference-leading .270 average.
After cruising to a pair of set wins early on, Sonoma State struggled in the third set and even trailed 23-13 at one point. However, the Seawolves rallied to score eight of the next nine points in the set, including six straight points while facing set point by Cal State L.A., but Boggs delivered a set-clinching kill to give the Golden Eagles a 25-21 win, but it would be the only set CSULA would capture as SSU was relentless in set number four to grab an easy 25-12 win for the 3-1 match victory.
Sonoma State returns to the floor on Saturday, hosting Cal State Dominguez Hills at 7:00 pm in The Wolves' Den. The Seawolves will then play their next five matches on the road before returning home for the final weekend of the regular season on Nov. 22-23.
