C-Stunner

Friday, February 12

Riverside, Calif.

7:00 PM

California Baptist University

8-7, 3-7MPSF

Cal State Northridge

8-5, 3-5MPSF

CSUN

California Baptist

Photo by: Nyck Yashiro

2/12/2016 9:52:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Sammi Sheppard, Director of Sports Information

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — California Baptist University and No. 11-ranked Cal State Northridge went blow-for-blow Friday night. The Lancers took it all the way to the end, forcing a fifth set to grab the upset victory.

CBU improves to 8-7 on the year, 3-7 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, with the 3-2 (25-14, 21-25, 19-25, 27-25, 16-14) victory. CSUN falls to 8-5 overall and 3-5 in conference.

The Lancers opened the match with an explosive first set, outhitting the Matadors .333 to -.067 and out-blocking CSUN 6.5 to 1. Rocky DeLyon (six kills) led the charge with an 80-percent hitting clip, laying down four kills on five attempts without a single error.

After CSUN evened the score at 2-2, CBU went off on a 5-0 run to take a commanding 7-2 lead. Two Matador errors started the run, with Rohit Paul (six kills) putting down a kill to keep it going. Paul teamed up with Roy Powell (seven blocks) and Enrique de Diego Garcia (13 kills, eight blocks) for back-to-back blocks to make it 7-2.

The Matadors cut within 15-10, but CBU turned it into overdrive to score four-straight points, all but putting the set out of reach at 19-10. Two blocks, along with a kill from Garcia and a CSUN error added fuel to the fire.

Powell put the final dagger in the set, laying down a kill from Arturo Iglesias (36 assists) to give CBU a 25-14, set-one victory.

The tables flipped in the second set as CSUN jumped out to a 17-8 lead before CBU could put a run together. Down 20-12, the Lancers scored three-straight points to force a CSUN timeout. Powell started the run with a kill before teaming up with Caleb Miller twice for back-to-back blocks.

CBU had more fight in the tank, pulling within three, 21-18, to force another Matador timeout. Powell started another 3-0 spurt, with Miller powering down an over ball to put the Lancers within four, 21-17.

An attack error brought CBU the closest it had been since the beginning, but it wouldn't get any closer as the Matadors took the set 25-21.

The Lancers found themselves down 12-7 early in the swing set, but Jackson Burge stopped the Matadors from grabbing too much momentum with an authoritative kill.

Down 15-9, Paul put CBU on the upswing as he killed a pass from Iglesias to start a 3-0 spurt. Luis Palos, Garcia and Iglesias denied a Matador attempt and Paul followed with an ace to make it 15-12.

CSUN tried to not allow the Lancers to come back in it, but CBU wasn't ready to give up the fight. With CSUN at set-point, 24-15, the Lancers kept plugging away to cut the margin to five points, 24-19, but couldn't keep it going.

Determined to not let the match slip away from them, the Lancers opened the fourth with a 4-0 run off a block from Kevin Vaz and Burge, two kills from Palos and a Paul ace.

As much as CBU tried to get some distance, CSUN stayed right on its tail and made things interesting down the stretch by taking a 23-22 lead.

Coach Derek Schmitt called a timeout and regrouped his team. The Lancers came out and scored the next two points to reach set-point. CSUN forced extra time, tying the game at 24-24 and 25-25 before a Matador service error and Vaz kill tied the match up at 2-2 going into a fifth and deciding set.

CBU battled from behind (4-1) in the final set, tying the set at 6-6, 7-7, 8-8 and 9-9 before taking its first lead of the frame at 10-9 off a Palos kill. The Lancers then reached match-point first, 14-13, but the Matadors stayed alive briefly by deadlocking the score at 14-14.

As Garcia went up to the net for an attack, a Matador was called for a blocking error to give CBU match-point yet again. This time, the Lancers sealed the victory with a Cody Jackson ace as none of the CSUN players thought the ball was in the lines.

The Lancers continue at home, hosting BYU next week for a pair of games Friday and Saturday, both at 7:00 p.m.