Box Score: No. 20 Coyotes 3, CSU Dominguez Hills 0
SAN BERNARDINO -- Young teams will often show peaks and valleys during a season. The No. 20-ranked Coyotes showed they have the ability to be reckoned with Saturday night in their 3-0 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills.
One night after suffering a home CCAA loss for the first time in five years, senior
Mercedes Winchester and freshman
Alexandra Torline each had double-digit kill efforts in the 25-22, 25-12, 25-22 victory over the Toros at Coussoulis Arena.
CSUSB put forth a season-best attack percentage (.340) against a team that had upset on its mind for the second straight night. On Friday, CSUDH defeated UC San Diego 3-0 for its first win against the Tritons in 20 years.
But there would not be a consecutive upset for the Toros as CSUSB took control early, gained momentum throughout and improved to 4-6 overall and 1-1 in the CCAA.
In the opening set and tied at 14-14, the Coyotes slowly pulled ahead on a pair of Torline kills that gave CSUSB a 17-14 lead.
After a CSUDH timeout, the Coyotes stayed out front and finished with Torline's fifth kill of the set.
The second set was all about CSUSB, which fired a .533 percentage on 18 kills and 30 attacks. A 5-0 run put the Coyotes comfortably ahead 16-6 as they earned the 13-point win.
Set three found CSUSB trailing 12-9, but a kill from Jay Rutledge set in motion another 5-0 run. Three Winchester kills and two kills from All-American setter
Camille Smith keyed the Coyotes toward the set and match victory.
Freshman
Brenna McIntosh had a fine showing on nine of 16 attacks with one error, good for a .500 effort. Smith dealt 37 assists and three players had two service aces apiece --
Ashley Solis, McIntosh and
Arielle McCullough, who also had 15 digs.
McIntosh led with four block assists.
The Coyotes are on the road this week, beginning Thursday at Humboldt State.
CSUDH (3-6, 1-1) was led by Whitney Lee's nine kills
