Box Score ARCATA – Lumberjack Arena did not turn out to be a place of many Halloween treats for Humboldt State on the volleyball court.
 
After starting strong in both of the first two sets, the Lumberjacks' tricks ended and the Pioneers of Cal State East Bay ran off the opening two game wins on the way to a 3-1 victory Thursday night.
 
"It came down to the first two sets," noted HSU head coach Kelly Wood.  "We were up by six points in the first set and five points in the second set and didn't finish.  We gave them too much momentum with those first two sets,"
 
HSU came on early to lead by as many as 14-8 in the first set and 9-4 in the second contest only to see Cal State East Bay ride out the tide to 26-24 and 25-23 wins.
 
The Jacks battled back to a 25-21 third set, before the Pioneers took control midway through the fourth set on the way to a 25-16 match win.
 
"This week in practice our focus has been on starting strong and we did but we didn't finish.  We just couldn't get the ball down in the end," added Wood.
 
Ashley Owen was one of the bright spots for HSU (10-12/5-10 California Collegiate Athletic Association) with a match-high 20 kills, while hitting .436.  She also had a pair of blocks.
 
Symone Hayden was the lone other double-digit kill producer for the home team with 11 to go with 10 digs.
 
Kaitlyn Dunaway added 15 digs, nine kills, two assists, two aces and a block assist.
 
Alex Hasenstab chipped in seven kills and a solo block.
 
Sam Siebert handed out 27 assists, dug five attacks and lined an ace.  The Jacks other setter Erin Mitchell finished with 14 assists and five digs.
 
Kelci Renshaw laced three aces, dug 13 balls and assisted on two kills.
 
Colleen Noonand and Jacquelyn Callaway, who had one ace, contributed five and two digs.  Courtney Debrunner rounded out the night with two kills and two blocks.
 
After leading 14-8, the Jacks lost their momentum in the opening set.  The Pioneers scored the next eight of 11 points to pull to within a point, 17-16.
 
The two teams were never tied until 22-22. Following a Dunaway kill to retie the set at 24, Cal State East Bay completed the comeback with two consecutive kills and 26-24 victory.
 
HSU saw its five-point second-set lead dwindle quicker than the first set.  The Pioneers would score five-straight point to tie game at nine.
 
The Jacks held a three-point advantage, 22-19, late only to see the Pioneers' Veronica Sanchez serve for five points in a row for a 24-22 lead.  The team split the final two points for a visiting 25-23 win.
 
HSU was able to finish off the third set late, 25-21, but could not extend the Halloween night any longer and had the trick played on them in the end.
 
The Jacks will try to bounce back with a Saturday night 7 p.m. affair against Cal State Monterey Bay.