Toros Upset Host Point Loma in Marathon to Conclude Seaside Tournament

Box Score

SAN DIEGO -- Two days into the 2012 season is all it took to surpass last season's win total as the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros survived a five-set marathon in a 3-2 win over host Point Loma Nazarene to conclude the Seaside tournament. Elizabeth Krieger's 14 kills led the offensive charge, with Delea Pursel adding 13 kills and 5 blocks.

As a team, CSUDH hit at a .198 clip compared to PLNU's .204, but the Toros were ferocious at the net tallying 11.0 blocks to the Sea Lions' 8.0 in the dramatic decision.

After the Sea Lions jumped out to a quick 8-3 lead, the Toros roared back to tie the game at 15-15, before reeling off a 10-5 run to capture the opening stanza.

Set two was a closer contest as evidenced by seven ties early on before CSUDH looked to pull away leading 16-8. The hosts, however, bolstered by their home court, clawed back to take the lead at 20-19 on three-consecutive Toro attack errors, only to see strong serving by Korryne Kelley, Hillary Domecus and Rose Greco re-take the lead for CSUDH at 24-23, and take the set one point later on a PLNU service error.

Stung by letting one slip away, the hosts found a way to tie the match by taking sets three and four, but couldn't match the Toros' will in the fifth as a quick 2-0 lead turned into an 11-6 edge, with Dana Brown's lethal serving game and a final PLNU attack error enough to earn CSUDH its second win of the season.

In the final frame, CSUDH made just one error in 21 swings for a .429 hitting percentage, limiting PLNU to just .286.

Whitney Lee aided the balanced Toro attack with 13 kills and a .458 hitting percentage, with Kelley adding a match-high 36 digs and Brown dishing 42 assists.

Although even in block assists, CSUDH saw four players stuff solo blocks compared to a single solo by PLNU, a drastic change from last year's challenges at the net.

The Toros continue tournament play next weekend at the Cal State L.A./Cal Poly Pomona Invitational, starting with a high noon match against Azusa Pacific on Friday, September 7.

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