Box Score ARCATA – In the most exciting volleyball matches of the fall in Lumberjack Arena, Humboldt State came up just short in an extended fifth set to Cal State Monterey Bay Saturday night.
 
After three of the first four sets were decided by the minimum two points, it was fitting the fifth and final set between the two California Collegiate Athletic Association foes would go extra points.
 
The visiting Otters led by as many as three points two times, 9-6 and 10-7, before Ashley Owen killed her fifth and sixth set five kills along with one apiece from Symone Hayden and Kaitlyn Dunaway for a 14-14 deadlock.
 
Alex Hasenstab made it three-straight HSU points on a solo block for a 15-14 lead and would minutes later down a kill for a tie at 16.
 
The Otters two top hitters, Jessica Malcolm and Julia Ashen, belted kills from there to seal the victory and 18-16 game five total.
 
"It's another heart-breaking loss," said HSU head coach Kelly Wood.  "After not playing well on Thursday, we battled really hard tonight.  The girls are pretty devastated after losing in five, but I am proud of them.  We just came up a little short in the fifth set."
 
HSU (10-13/5-11 CCAA) split the first two sets, 25-23 and 23-25, before Cal State Monterey Bay (14-9/8-7 CCAA) went up a set by taking the third 25-18.
 
Owen killed three of the last four points of the fourth set for a 27-25 score to send the match to the game-deciding fifth.
 
"We didn't have as many mistakes tonight as it was good volleyball on both sides of the net," added Wood.  "Monterey Bay's outsides were tough and we had a tough time stopping them."
 
Owen finished with a Jacks' best 21 kills to go with four digs and two block assists.
 
Hayden had a good overall effort with 17 kills, 14 digs, two aces, two solo blocks and an assist.
 
Freshman Hasenstab pounded her season-best 15 kills with a .270 hitting percentage.  The middle blocker also had a solo block, a dig and an assist.
 
"Alex played really well as she was actually sick tonight, but as they say good athletes always play well when they are sick," noted the Jacks' coach.  "She showed a lot as we have encouraged her to work hard in the middle and preached to her to be an offensive threat for us and she was tonight."
Dunaway was the fourth HSU frontline player in double figurers for kills with 11.  The sophomore added 23 digs, an ace and an assist.
 
Kelci Renshaw produced another 20-plus dig night at libero with 27, while lining a pair of aces.
 
Colleen Noonan chipped in 17 digs and an ace with Erin Mitchell adding four digs and an ace of her own.
 
Sam Siebert handed out 54 assists, dug 17 attacks and laced a pair of aces.
 
Courtney Debrunner rounded out the HSU lineup with four kills and a pair of block assists.
 
HSU will make the trek to the south part of the state against the top two CCAA clubs next weekend by playing at UC San Diego Friday night and CSU San Bernardino on Saturday evening.