SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Azusa Pacific made it a 2-1 trip down to the Cougar Classic, defeating Cal State Monterey Bay three sets to one (21-25, 25-9, 25-17, 25-17) Saturday afternoon at Cal State San Marcos.
Delaney Tate led the way with 22 kills and 15 digs as the Cougars moved back above .500 for the season.
How It Happened: While the Cougars had an excellent first set offensively, collecting 14 kills, it was no match for a blistering attack from the Otters, who had 16 kills against a single attack error in the opening set. A 5-0 run by Monterey Bay late in the set gave them a 23-17 lead that proved sufficient in a 25-21 set.
Azusa Pacific left nothing to chance in the second, winning the first nine points of the set through three kills, five Otter errors, and an ace. Tate had four kills in the set as the Cougars continued to pull away, leading by as many as 16 points in the set, with a kill credited to libero
Mia Medrano finishing the set and leveling the match.
The third set saw a series of small runs by each team. After Azusa Pacific won five in a row to take the lead, the Otters returned the favor with a four-point swing of their own. This continued until the score reached 14-14, when
Anya Green kicked off the decisive run of the set with consecutive blocks. The Cougars would win the next six points in a row and eight of nine, eventually claiming the third by a 25-17 score.
The Cougars took control of the fourth set early, as a pair of blocks from Kendyl Macaskill highlighted an early 5-1 run. The Otters were unable to get any closer than three points after that outburst, with Tate bookending the set with two of her seven kills in the final frame.
By the Numbers: Tate finished the game with 22 kills, 15 digs, and an ace. The outside hitter was one of three Cougars named to the all-tournament team, along with Green (7 kills, 3 solo blocks, 2 block assists) and Macaskill (7 kills, 2 solo blocks, 2 block assists). Freshman setter
Brooklyn Kostoff added 34 assists, 10 digs and 3 aces. Azusa Pacific hit .281 for the match and improves to 4-0 all-time against Cal State Monterey Bay.
Up Next: Azusa Pacific (4-3) now heads into conference play. They will open the 20-game PacWest schedule at Vanguard, reigniting an old rivalry from the NAIA days. First serve in Costa Mesa is set for 5:00 p.m. on Friday.
