HAYWARD, Calif. — After a strong start to the night, Humboldt State could not keep the momentum as host Cal State East Bay claimed the next three sets including the final three points of set four to take a 3-1 victory.
 
The Lumberjacks (4-2) won the opener, 25-20, before the Pioneers (4-3) rattled off 25-10, 25-22 and 25-23 wins to take both teams' California Collegiate Athletic Association records to an even 1-1.
 
"We had a good start to the match, but we were unable to sustain the level of play necessary to win," said HSU Head Coach Kelly Wood. "East Bay is a young, athletic team that plays hard on every point and they played fearlessly tonight."
 
Following a .314 team hitting Friday night, HSU fell to .107 Saturday evening. Ashley Owen powered a team-high 14 kills. Katherine Rifilato added eight kills, 24 set assists, 10 digs and an ace.
 
Junior Haley Biles led the Jacks' defense with 17 digs, while Kaitlyn Dunaway had 12 digs and two block assists.
 
Trailing by a set, the Jacks held a late-game five-point lead, 20-15, by scoring five points in a row including a pair of Alex Hasenstab kills. Cal State East Bay battled back with the following three points, before tying the contest at 22. Owen killed the next point for a HSU lead, 23-22. The Owen kill was the last point the visitors would score as a Pioneer kill and two Jacks attack errors gave the home team the match, 25-23.
 
The Jacks played their best in the first set. HSU ran out to a 16-7 advantage capped by two Symone Hayden kills. Cal State East Bay would get no closer than five points until HSU won 25-20.
 
The Pioneers ran out to a 12-1 set two lead and never looked back to coast home in the 25-10 final. Cal State East Bay went up a set with five late points in a row for a third set 25-22 score.
 
HSU will continue with two more CCAA road games beginning Friday night at Sonoma State starting at 7 p.m.