CSF-EKU Box Score (.pdf) | CSF-GCU Box Score (.pdf)

PHOENIX – The Cal State Fullerton volleyball team split a pair of matches on the final day of the Grand Canyon Classic as the Titans dropped a 3-1 [25-27, 25-18, 22-25, 22-25] contest to Eastern Kentucky before holding off host Grand Canyon, 3-1 [29-27, 21-25, 25-22, 25-16] to come away with a 1-2 record at the tournament.

The Titans (3-4) received two strong performances from Shimen Fayad and Summer Kerins as Fayad posted a pair of double-doubles – 15 kills and 10 digs against EKU and 23 kills and 17 digs at GCU. Kerins hit .357 in the first match and came back and posted a .438 attack percentage in the second while adding seven total blocks (two block assists and five solo blocks).

Eastern Kentucky 3, Cal State Fullerton 1
Cal State Fullerton and Eastern Kentucky (1-4) played each other hard as the Titans hit .107 in the match and the Colonels logged an attack percentage of .127.

The Titans led the Colonels in kills (50-45) assists (49-41), but Eastern Kentucky held the edge in digs (65-62) and total team blocks (14.0-8.0).

"Unforced errors at crucial moments were the difference in the match," Cal State Fullerton head coach Ashley Preston said. "We need to focus on meeting our marks and passing better as a team."

Cal State Fullerton fought hard in the first set as the Titans battled through 12 ties and eight lead changes before the Colonels outlasted them 27-25.

The Titans came out in the second set and held the lead most of the way as they controlled the frame offensively. Cal State Fullerton hit .233 in the game and limited Eastern Kentucky to a negative attack percentage (-.067). With solid efforts from Kerins, Fayad and Meagan Carlson, the Titans earned a 25-18 set win and evened the score at one set apiece.

However, Eastern Kentucky would out-hit Cal State Fullerton in the third and fourth set en route to winning both games by scores of 25-22 to come out victorious, 3-1.

Cal State Fullerton 3, Grand Canyon 1
The Titans came out strong in the nightcap as they hit .258 with 62 assists, 76 digs and 11.0 total team blocks to lead the Lopes in all categories. Fullerton used a balanced offense to control the match and go on to win in four.

"I am so proud of our team's collective effort for the win tonight," Preston said. "GCU has a great atmosphere to play in and for our team to come in and show both mental and physical toughness, proves that we are heading in the right direction. 

"The team is growing in every match and it's showing. I'm extremely proud of our four freshmen Aniya Henry, Meagan Carlson, Madisen Babich and Rachel Hall for all doing their part in the win. As well as Summer Kerins, Madeline Schneider and Shimen Fayad got continuing to improve their offensive performances. I also want to thank my setters Precious Manu and Rachel (Hall) for running such a balanced offense."

In the first set, Cal State Fullerton fell behind 5-1, but rallied and came back to tie the game seven separate times before finding themselves all tied up with Grand Canyon 27-27. Finally, Carlson and Schneider knocked down back-to-back kills to give the Titans a 29-27 win.

The hosts fought back in the second set and out-hit the Titans .227 to .056 as the Lopes finished the game on a 5-1 run to win 25-21.

Despite the set back in the second set, Cal State Fullerton brushed it off and battled Grand Canyon as the two teams found themselves knotted up on 13 different occasions until the Titans broke a 22-22 tie on a kill off the hands of Fayad. With a 23-22 edge, Cal State Fullerton put the set away, taking advantage of an attack error by the Lopes followed by another Fayad kill to win the game 25-22.

Heading into the fourth set up 2-1, Cal State Fullerton's offense exploded with a .395 attack percentage, while the defense held Grand Canyon to a .114 clip. The Titans controlled the majority of the set and cruised to a 25-16 win as they snapped a four-match losing streak and won their third match of the year.

"We just need to continue to meet our marks going into our home tournament," Preston said of the Titans' plans for the next matches on their schedule.

Cal State Fullerton returns home to host the Quality Inn-Placentia Fullerton Classic Thursday, September 8 – Saturday, September 10. The Titans will play Air Force on Thursday at 7 p.m., followed by Weber State (12 noon) and the Citadel (7:30 p.m.) on Friday and Colgate on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.