SAN FRANCISCO — Cal State East Bay volleyball faced a tough challenge Friday afternoon at the SFFCU Gymnasium at Don Nasser Family Plaza, falling in straight sets to No. 6 Tampa, 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-18), in the opening match of the Gator Classic. Despite the loss, the Pioneers showed flashes of resilience, particularly in the first and third sets, and will look to build on those moments heading into Saturday's doubleheader.
|
|
BY SET SUMMARY |
First Set (25-22)
Tampa maintained a slim lead throughout, but a series of errors allowed East Bay to pull within two at 24-22. The Spartans responded with a decisive kill to take the set 25-22.
Second Set (25-14)
Tampa took control early and never looked back, building a 12-point lead and cruising to a 25-14 win. The Spartans' aggressive attack and consistent serving kept East Bay off balance.
Third Set (25-21)
The Pioneers stayed close late in the set, with kills from Natali Herrera and Gianna Navarro cutting the deficit to 22-18. However, Tampa closed the match with three consecutive kills to complete the sweep.
|
|
NOTABLE STATS |
- Navarro was nearly flawless at the net, finishing with nine kills on 12 swings for a .750 hitting percentage and no errors. She also delivered East Bay's only service ace of the match.
- Kale'a Kuamo'o continued to anchor the back row, leading the team with 14 digs.
|
|
POSTGAME QUOTE |
Cal State East Bay head coach Kimberly Lambert following Friday's match in the Gator Classic:
"Taking the positives out of today's match and looking to apply them in tomorrow's matchups."
|
|
RECORDS |
Cal State East Bay: 2-4
No. 6 Tampa: 4-0
|
|
UP NEXT FOR CAL STATE EAST BAY |
Cal State East Bay returns to action Saturday with two matches at the Gator Classic in San Francisco. The Pioneers will open the day against Fresno Pacific at 11 a.m., followed by an afternoon matchup against Western Oregon at 3:30 p.m. Both contests will be held at the SFFCU Gymnasium at Don Nasser Family Plaza on the campus of San Francisco State. Saturday's slate for East Bay will wrap up non-conference play in the 2025 regular season.
Latest Women's Volleyball
- Pioneer Preview: Sept. 24-30
- Pioneers Power Past SF State for First CCAA Win of 2025HAYWARD, Calif. - Cal State East Bay volleyball earned a hard-fought victory Saturday evening at Pioneer Gymnasium, defeating (RV) San Francisco State in four sets (25-21, 25-12, 18-25, 25-20) to secure its first California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) win of the season. The Pioneers were led by a trio of double-double performances and a balanced attack that kept the Gators on their heels throughout the match.
- Pioneer Volleyball Swept in Thursday's CCAA OpenerHAYWARD, Calif. — Cal State East Bay opened its CCAA volleyball slate Thursday night at Pioneer Gymnasium with a hard-fought effort against Cal State Monterey Bay, but the Pioneers were unable to overcome key scoring runs and dropped their home opener in straight sets, 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-18). Despite a strong performance from senior Barakat Adekola, who posted her fourth double-double of the season, East Bay struggled to maintain momentum in critical stretches. The Otters capitalized on early leads and closed each set with poise, handing the Pioneers their first conference loss of the season.
- Pioneers Split Saturday Matches in Gator Classic; Finish Tournament With Win Over Western OregonSAN FRANCISCO — Cal State East Bay volleyball finished the SF State Invitational with a split on Saturday at SFFCU Gymnasium at Don Nasser Family Plaza, falling in straight sets to Fresno Pacific before bouncing back with a four-set win over Western Oregon. The Pioneers showed resilience in the second match of the day, led by standout performances from Barakat Adekola and Pi'ilani Carvalho.
- Pioneer Volleyball Returns to Winning Ways With Sweep on ThursdaySAN FRANCISCO — Cal State East Bay volleyball returned to the win column Thursday afternoon with a commanding 3-0 sweep over Menlo College at SFFCU Gymnasium at Don Nasser Family Plaza. The Pioneers showcased a balanced attack and resilient defense to take the match in straight sets: 25-11, 25-23, 25-21.
- Pioneer Volleyball Wraps Up Hawaii Trip on SaturdayHONOLULU — Cal State East Bay volleyball battled point for point with UC Colorado Springs on Saturday afternoon but fell in three sets at McCabe Gym, as the Mountain Lions completed a sweep 25-22, 25-20, 30-28 in East Bay's final match of the 2025 Hawaii Challenge. The Pioneers showed resilience in the third set set, rallying from six points down to push the frame to extra points before UCCS pulled out the win.
