HAYWARD, Calif. – Cal State East Bay volleyball earned a thrilling five-set victory over Stanislaus State on Saturday night, taking the match 20-25, 25-21, 25-20, 14-25, 15-10. With the victory, the Pioneers evened their record at 7-7 overall and improved to 4-2 in CCAA play, while the Warriors dropped to 7-6 and 5-1 in conference.
The Pioneers got contributions from across the lineup in a balanced team performance that featured four players with double-digit kills. Barakat Adekola led the way with 14 kills, 20 digs, and two aces, while Gianna Navarro matched her with 14 kills and 14 digs. Natali Herrera was a force at the net with 11 kills on a blistering .429 hitting percentage along with seven total blocks with Malayah Adams adding 11 kills to round out East Bay's balanced attack.
Setter Pi'ilani Carvalho dished out 47 assists while adding four service aces, 14 digs, and a pair of key kills. Kale'a Kuamo'o anchored the defense with a match-high 23 digs.
After dropping the first set 25-20, East Bay responded with a surge in the second, capitalizing on Stanislaus State errors to even the match. The Pioneers carried that momentum into the third, where they found their offensive rhythm—hitting .277 behind Adams, Navarro, and Herrera—to take control with a 25-20 win and move within a set of victory.
The Warriors battled back to even the match with a victory in the fourth. The match moved to a deciding fifth game where the Pioneers quickly regrouped. East Bay jumped out to an early lead behind an attack featuring Herrera and Adekola and never looked back. The Pioneers hit .200 in the final frame, while their defense held Stanislaus to .100, sealing the 15-10 win.
Overall, East Bay totaled 63 kills to the Warriors' 57 kills. The Pioneers also held a decisive 19-8 advantage in total blocks and aces combined.
The Pioneers return to action next week as CCAA play continues, hosting Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal Poly Pomona on Friday and Saturday.
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