Box score

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Cal State LA shocked the college volleyball world on Friday night when it swept the defending national champions, Cal State San Bernardino, on their home floor in the semifinals of the NCAA West Regional. (Dec. 3)
 
The defense for Cal State LA was the difference in the match as Cal State San Bernardino had to labor to find the floor. The Golden Eagles held the Yotes under a .049 hitting percentage in each set and to a .034 hitting percentage overall.
 
"We executed the gameplan really, really well," said Cal State LA's head coach Juan Figueroa. "We studied [Cal State San Bernardino] like crazy. We knew their tendencies and what they were trying to do."
 
Alejandra Negron registered a match-best 18 kills for Cal State LA, to go along with 14 digs and two service aces. Karla Santos added 10 kills and Eliza Cannon posted five kills without an error in just eight swings. Alexis Cardoza had a team-high nine kills for Cal State San Bernardino.
 
The first two sets could have gone either direction as the teams were tied at 21-21 both times. However, Cal State LA was able to execute down the stretch both times to earn the set wins and take the 2-0 lead. In the third, the Golden Eagles broke an 8-8 with a 12-4 run and did not look back on their way to their first win over the Yotes since 2016.
 
This was the second straight night the No. 5 seeded Golden Eagles pulled off an upset over a higher-ranked CCAA opponent in the regional. Last night they defeated Cal Poly Pomona in four sets.
 
Cal State LA will play for the NCAA West Regional Championship tomorrow (Dec. 4) at 7:30 p.m. in Coussoulis Arena.