Box Score

SAN DIEGO - It is always a tough challenge to beat a team twice in a season, let alone twice in a week. The Point Loma volleyball team learned the lesson first-hand on Friday (Sept. 13) at the UCSD Invitational when it ran into Cal State Dominguez Hills to suffer its first loss of the 2013 season (25-23, 25-14 and 25-18).

The loss snaps a five-match winning streak for PLNU (5-1) to begin the season. This was the longest winning streak for Point Loma to begin a season since 2011 when it won its first nine matches out of the gate. The win moves the Toros to 5-1 on the year, with their only loss coming at the hands of the Sea Lions.

Alijah Gunsaulus led all players with 16 kills for Cal State Dominguez Hills. She had a .452 hitting percentage with just two errors in 31 swings. The Toros also got 13 kills, 10 digs and a .455 hitting percentage from Elizabeth Kreiger.

Heather Leavitt paced PLNU with 10 kills. Alyssa Dwyer and Kelli LeClair also chipped in with nine kills of their own.

The teams opened the match with a very clean and competitive first set. CSU Dominguez Hills came through in the end for a 25-23 win. The Toros barely outhit the Sea Lions in the set .387 to .343 en route to the win. The next two sets would not be near as close as the Sea Lions struggled to a .030 hitting percentage and CSUDH hit .390.

Point Loma will not be able to dwell on the loss long as it will return to the court this evening to face No. 13 ranked UC San Diego at 7:30 p.m.