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POMONA, Calif. – Stanislaus State came into the 2024 CCAA Volleyball Tournament with one CCAA postseason win in program history, and it is leaving with the tournament trophy.
 
The No. 3 seeded Warriors completed their three games in three days journey by defeating No. 4 seed Cal State LA in four sets, 22-25, 26-24, 25-23 and 25-17, to earn the right to hoist the championship hardware.
 
Ellison Weaver collected the tournament's Most Valuable Player honors after leading the Warriors in kills in all three matches. However, she made sure to save her best performance for the championship match. The senior from Roosevelt, Utah, posted a .342 hitting percentage with 18 kills, 16 digs, and two blocks. It was her fourth double-double of the season and second of the CCAA Tournament.
 
Weaver was not the only Warrior to put together a great game with the championship on the line. All-tournament selection Alex Byrd had nine blocks and four kills. Gabby Rawson registered a match-best 18 digs, and Shaelyn Pruiett posted a double-double of her own with 16 assists and 11 digs. Haley Burdo added a match-high 22 assists and Mariah Iosua hit .435 with 12 kills. 
 
Emily Elliott led the Golden Eagles with 20 kills to finish the tournament with 79. She continues to lead NCAA Div. II in total kills (598) and is third in kills per set (5.29). Samarah DaCoud registered a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs.
 
When the match began, it looked like it might be Cal State LA's day. It hit .275 in the opening set with 17 kills. The Golden Eagles used a timely 8-1 run in the middle set to go up 17-9. The Warriors would not go away and cut their deficit to two at 22-20. Two kills by Elliott got LA to game point, and a Stan State service error gave them the set win.
 
The second set is where Stanislaus State gained the momentum that would lead them to victory. Cal State LA hit a 7-1 run in the middle of the set to take a 21-17 lead. Stan State answered with a 4-0 spurt to tie it at 21-21. The teams traded points until Isabella Saucedo registered a kill to give the Warriors the 24-23 lead. After Elliott answered with a kill for Cal State LA, Saucedo recorded another kill before Rawson's serve hit the net and trickled over for the set-clinching ace.
 
The third set would also be decided late as both teams were tied 21-21 after a kill by Stan State's Makenna Carrillo. Elliott then put Cal State LA up one (22-21) before Stan State scored four of the last five points for the 25-23 win. Mariah Iosua had two critical kills within those four points, including the set-clincher.
 
With the championship firmly in its sights, Stanislaus State put together one of its season's best sets. The Warriors hit .542 percent in the set with 13 kills and no attacking errors. They earned serve back on 70 percent of their chances. There was only one lead change in the set, which occurred at 1-1 as the Warriors then went on a 10-3 run and went in front 20-10 before winning 25-17.
 
Burdo, Rawson, and Saucedo joined Byrd and Weaver on the all-tournament team. It was Stan State's first tournament win since the opening round in 2016.
 
With the victory, Stanislaus State receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, beginning Dec. 5. The Warriors will learn their seed number and playoff location on the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, Nov. 25, at 4:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.