(CSUMB Sports Information)

SEASIDE, Calif. — The Cal State Monterey Bay volleyball team played tough but it wasn't enough to overcome 2013 CCAA Player of the Year Caylie Seitz and Sonoma State, who held on for a 25–22, 25–21, 22–25, 25–13 win Friday night in The Kelp Bed.

CSUMB got 11 kills and five blocks from sophomore middle blocker Janai Johnson and an 11–kill, 10–dig double–double from junior outside hitter Jessica Malcolm. But Seitz led the way for the Seawolves by hitting .457 with a match–high 19 kills. The Sonoma setting tandem of Calan Seitz (30 assists) and Courtney Seda (27) led an efficient offense that hit .299 for the match, including .414 in the decisive fourth set.

As the final score inferred, the first three sets could have gone either way. The Otters trailed 21–20 in Set 1 before a Kelsey Hull kill and a Calan Seitz ace gave Sonoma control. CSUMB led 21–20 in Set 2 before Calan served two more aces as part of a 5–0 finishing run that put Sonoma up 2–0 in the match.

Set 3 also found its way to 20–20. This time, however, the Otters found a way to close it out, with a Johnson block and a Malcolm kill providing the final points.

Sonoma took control early in the final set, racing to an 11–2 lead and never looking back. Johnson's 10th kill of the night got the Otters to within 13–6, but they would get no closer down the stretch.

In addition to Johnson and Malcolm, junior libero Rachel Cookus chipped in a match–high 22 digs for CSUMB.

Sonoma State will head to Hayward on Saturday to play at Cal State East Bay, beginning at 7:00 pm.