Box Score LOS ANGELES – The growth of the Humboldt State volleyball team was no more evident than on Saturday night.
 
After dropping the opening two sets, HSU made a furious comeback to take the next two sets, 25-15 and 25-17. 
 
Tied at 13 in the fifth set, host Cal State Los Angeles, however, killed the next point and a HSU hitting error gave it the 15-13 contest to escape with the 3-2 match.
 
"The team fought so hard tonight.  I'm very proud of them for that," pointed out Lumberjacks head coach Kelly Wood.  "Many of the mistakes we make are a result of our lack of experience, but overall we definitely showed growth tonight."
 
The Golden Eagles (14-7/9-4 California Collegiate Athletic Association) exerted themselves in the opening two sets by scores of 25-22 and 25-14.
 
Leading the way for HSU (10-11/5-9 CCAA) was Ashley Owen, who downed 19 kills to go with seven digs and two block assists.
 
Kaitlyn Dunaway was the other double digit kill producer with 14, while digging 19 balls on defense.
 
Middle blocker Alex Hasenstab had her second quality night in a row with nine kills with only one error in 19 total attacks for a .421 hitting percentage.  The freshman added four total blocks and three digs to her line.
 
Symone Hayden chipped in seven kills, 17 digs and two blocks, while Courtney Debrunner finished with five kills, an ace, four digs and four block assists.
 
Sam Siebert and Erin Mitchell divided up the team's set assists with 25 and 16, respectively.  Siebert also had two kills, an ace, six digs and three total blocks.  Mitchell added eight digs.
 
Kelci Renshaw recorded another three service aces to go with 19 digs and six assists.  Colleen Noonan contributed seven digs, an assist and an ace.
 
After the two tough first sets, the Jacks opened an early 9-4 advantage in the third set.  The visitors, eventually, expanded the margin to eight points, 21-12, off five points in a row capped by a Debrunner kill.
 
The Golden Eagles score one time, before the Jacks' Owen lined the fourth consecutive point to finish the set, 25-15.
 
Tied at eight in the fourth set, HSU received back-to-back kills from Dunaway and Hasenstab and opened an 11-8 lead.  The visitors would never trail the rest of the way, before Hayden put away the final kill and 25-17 win.
 
In the deciding fifth set, the two teams split the first 20 points, 10-10. 
 
Iona Lofrano put Cal State Los Angeles on top, 12-10, with two kills in a row only to see Owen and Dunaway deadlock the set again, 12-12.
 
Tied at 13, the Golden Eagles edged ahead with a kill, before a Jacks hitting error ended their comeback run at 15-13.
 
HSU will return for a pair of home matches to get back in the win column next weekend starting against Cal State East Bay at 7 p.m. next Thursday night, Oct. 31.