CARSON, Calif. – Cal State Dominguez Hills pushed Cal State LA to five sets but ultimately fell 3-2 (25-19, 18-25, 18-25, 28-26, 6-15) in a hard-fought CCAA match Saturday evening at the Torodome. The Toros fall to 6-12 overall and 3-7 in CCAA play, while The Golden Eagles move to 12-5 overall and 7-3 in CCAA competition. 

The Toros came out strong, hitting .406 in the opening set with 17 kills to take the first frame 25-19. Senior Ava Hurry led the offensive effort, finishing with 11 kills and adding 2 aces, while Fallon Freeman contributed 10 kills, and Camryn Perdue added 8 kills and a match-high 5 blocks.

Despite their fast start, the Toros were unable to maintain their momentum as Cal State LA fought back, taking the next two sets 25-18, 25-18. The Toros struggled offensively in those sets, hitting just .077 in both frames.

Cal State Dominguez Hills responded in a dramatic fourth set, winning 28-26 to force a decisive fifth set. Bailey Fuches set the tempo for the offense, totaling 24 assists and 2 aces, while Nina Robles led the defense with 22 digs.

However, the Toros faltered in the fifth set, managing just 3 kills and hitting a negative percentage (-.143) as Cal State LA closed out the match with a 15-6 win.

Other standout performers for the Toros included Jade Fuentes, who recorded 5 kills and 3 digs, and Grace Ford, who contributed 5 kills and hit .273. 

"The Toro's competed well tonight against a strong CSULA. Proud of our squad for playing with such grit.  We showcased our skills and talent, our hard work in training is slowly paying off." Head coach Teddi Esko with words about her team after the strong performance in a thrilling 5 set loss. 

Cal State Dominguez Hills will look to rebound in their next matchup against San Francisco State Thursday, October 24 on the road at 5pm.