SAN MARCOS, CALIF. - On Friday, November 11th, the Sonoma State volleyball team pulled off one of the biggest upsets in program history as they knocked off the #1 seed in the CCAA Tournament and the 18th ranked Golden Eagles of Cal State LA in a thrilling 5-set match, sending them to the tournament championships!! Both teams exchanged sets as SSU won the second and fourth set to force a match deciding fifth set. Outside hitter and All-CCAA honorable mention selection
Jaden Krist would have the game of her life and record a career high 18 kills to lead the way for Sonoma State. The Seawolves earn a date with Cal Poly Pomona in the championship match tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 PM.
SET 2 (25-16):
Head coach
Bear Grassl and his squad would not come out shy as both teams played their way to a 10-10 tie midway through the first set. However, Cal State LA would find another gear and rattle off nine straight points to take a commanding 19-10 lead. The Golden Eagles would eventually take the opening set 25-14 as SSU went back to the drawing board and looked to even things up in the second set.
Despite the tough finish to the opening set, the Seawolves would regroup and come out firing as they went on a 6-3 run to start the second set. Kills from
Kiana Richardson,
Jen Trephan and
Leilani Hallman would contribute to the early lead. After a service error to stop the bleeding for LA, Sonoma State would go on to record three straight kills to continue the scoring streak and take a decisive 10-4 lead early in the second set. The top seeded Golden Eagles would bring the set to within four points but the Seawolves would keep their foot on the gas and record the final five points to take the second set, 25-16.
Jaden Krist would record three kills in the team's final five points of the set.
SET 4 (25-20):
The third set would easily go down as one of the most entertaining and exciting sets of the entire tournament. After holding a two point lead midway through, LA would go on another tear and record seven unanswered points to retake a 20-15 lead. The Seawolves would answer with a 5-2 scoring run to get right back in the set and make it just a two point game. Down 24-21 just points later, SSU would rip off four straight points including a kill from Richardson and a huge ace from the conference leader,
Brynna Slayton to take a one point lead. Cal State LA would dig deep and fend off a surging Seawolves group as they recorded four of the final five points to win a thrilling third set, 28-26.
With their season on the line, SSU would respond with a huge fourth set victory to force a match deciding fifth set. The fourth set would be one of the more even stes of the entire night but near the midway point, Grassl and his group would grab four straight points to take a convincing lead. The four point swing would prove to be the deciding point in the set as the Seawolves would hang on for the 25-20 set victory. All-CCAA first team recipient
Jen Trephan would record a momentous block to earn the 25th point and force a fifth set.
SET 5 (15-12):
The Seawolves would play in only their second five set match all season long, with their previous one dating all the way back to October 14th against Cal State Dominguez Hills. After trading blows to start the set, SSU would once again find a scoring run and momentum when they needed it most and go on an 8-1 scoring run to take firm control of the deciding set. Another four kills from
Jaden Krist would highlight the scoring run and give Sonoma State a 12-7 lead. The Golden Eagles would record three straight points to bring the set to within two, but with the significant points advantage the Seawolves would setup veteran outside hitter
Kiana Richardson for the match winning kill, sending Sonoma State to the CCAA Championship match for the first time since 2015!
The Seawolves entered the tournament as the 5th seed and have certainly exceeded expectations as they will take on the Broncos of Cal Poly Pomona, who entered the tournament as the 3rd seed, tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 PM. In the brief 8 year history of the conference tournament, Sonoma State will look to become the highest seed to ever win the conference tournament and will also look for their second ever title in program history as they were crowned tournament champions back in 2015 (CCAA tournament was installed in 2015).
The Seawolves improve to 21-7 overall on the season as their 21 wins thus far goes down as the program's most wins in a season since 2015 where head coach
Bear Grassl and his group went 26-4 and also won the conference tournament. An updated tournament bracket, game times, ticket links, and more can all be found at sonomaseawolves.com. Sonoma State will take on the three seed Cal Poly Pomona tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 PM in the conference tournament championship match. As always you can stream the game LIVE on the CCAA Network.
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