IRVINE, Calif. - Azusa Pacific opened its 2023 season on Thursday evening, falling in straight sets to Cal State East Bay (25-21, 25-18, 25-22) in the first of four matches for the Cougars at the Concordia Invitational this weekend.

Annaka Jorgenson and Katelyn Sonnier recorded a team-high seven kills, and Maggie Nielsen dished out 16 assists. Defensively, Kyra Palmbush finished with two solo blocks and two block assists, while Paige Johnstone had 19 digs.

How It Happened: Cal State East Bay took the first four points of the match, and the Pioneers maintained the lead for the entirety of the opening set. In the second set, Azusa Pacific held a lead at 16-15, but the Pioneers would go on a 6-0 run to surge ahead for a 21-16 advantage. Cal State East Bay would secure the 2-0 match lead by winning four of the next six points. 

An early run for Cal State East Bay in the third set put the Pioneers ahead 8-3, and they were able to maintain a cushion of two or more points until an attack error allowed the Cougars to pull within two points at 20-18. Facing match point at 24-20, the Cougars were able to win back-to-back points on kills from Palmbush and Sonnier, but Cal State East Bay's Lexi Pagani closed the match out with a kill to make it 25-22.

"We struggled to find a rhythm and East Bay played great defensively and pressured us throughout the match," said head coach Chris Keife.

By the Numbers: Azusa Pacific finished with a hitting percentage of just .113, recording 32 kills on 134 attacks with 16 errors. On the other side of the net, Cal State East Bay posted a .235 hitting percentage with 50 kills on 132 attempts and 19 errors. 

Up Next: The Cougars will return to the court for a pair of matches tomorrow, with an 11:30 am matchup against Cal State Dominguez Hills, followed by a 4:30 pm meeting with Colorado Springs. Both games can be streamed free of charge through this link.