CARSON -- The Cal State Dominguez Hills volleyball team dropped its second-consecutive five-set match, ending a disappointing 2026 season that saw the Toros take a two-set lead only to drop the next three in a 25-12, 25-22, 18-25, 14-25, 13-15 heartbreaker against visiting Cal State East Bay.
CSUDHÂ ends 2026 at 2-22 overall and 1-14 in the CCAA, having dropped 12 straight to close the season.
Honoring seniors playing in their final match in Cardinal and Gold before first serve, the Toros stormed to an 8-3 lead to open set one behind five-straight points off the serve of
Keilyn Flores that included a pair of service aces. The Pioneers got to within four points at 12-8, only to have the hosts go on a 10-3 run to take a commanding 22-11 lead, with kills by
Rilee Graham and
Anna Sanzaro sandwiching a
Giovannina De Sisto service ace to give the Toros a 1-0 lead.
CSUEB looked to even the match after taking a 10-4 lead in set two, only to have the Toros even the set at 14-14 on a De Sisto ace.
The Toros took an 18-16 lead on a pair of Pio errors, with a
Jaidan Alexander hammer giving the Toros set point, and a Graham kill putting the Toros up two sets to none.
CSUDH hit a negative percentage to allow CSUEB to take set three, with the Pios using that momentum to run away with set four to even the match at two and force a decisive fifth set.
In that frame, the Pioneers scored the first four points and enjoyed a 7-3 lead before the Toros tied the set on an East Bay error to give the hosts momentum.
Unfortunately for the hosts, CSUEB would score three of the final four points to take the match, and send the Toros to their second-consecutive five-set defeat.
Graham led the Toros with 11 kills while libero and grad student
Makena Morrison (pictured) saved 26 balls in her final match in a Toro uniform.
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