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SAN BERNARDINO (Oct. 14, 2016) — Falling behind by two sets in their match against UC San Diego, the Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes needed a patient, methodical effort for any chance at success.
 
Coach Kim Cherniss's squad pecked away at the Tritons' 2-0 lead Friday night and when the two teams walked off the Cousssoulis Arena court, it was the Coyotes who were victorious.
 
Behind Lauren Nicholson's 23 kills and sophomore Hailey Jackson's three solo blocks and four assists, CSUSB earned a 3-2 (22-25, 23-25, 25-21, 26-24, 16-14) victory. The Coyotes, now 11-4, 5-2 CCAA complete the weekend Saturday at home against Cal State San Marcos. UCSD dropped to 9-8, 6-3.
 
CSUSB, which was playing in just its second home match of the year, struggled in the opening two sets. The Coyotes swung just .105 in the first and .162 in the second and headed into intermission in a big hole.
 
But Nicholson, who had nine kills with nine errors through two, had only one attack error the rest of the match with 13 kills. All-American Malika O'Brien finished with 16 kills and hit .200 with Jackson hitting .269 with 12 kills.
 
CSUSB grabbed a 20-15 lead in the third, but the Tritons outscored the Coyotes 6-2 and pulled to within a point of the lead, 22-21.
 
But O'Brien fired off a kill, and after a UCSD attack error, freshman Moira Murphy got the kill for the third-set finale.
 
In the fourth, the teams shared the lead seven times. CSUSB had control at 24-19, but UCSD again mounted a late rally, tying the score at 24-24 on a kill from Meagan Wright. But Jackson forced a solo block and she followed with a service ace to tie the match at 2-2.
 
Ten ties in the fifth, with the last at 14-14, set up the final points of the match.
 
With UCSD serving, Nicholson put her team ahead with a kill, and then serving, Jackson got the match-ending kill to seal the comeback.
 
Murphy had two solo blocks, while Jackson led the Coyotes in service aces with three. Senior Abbey Vollkommer had 16 digs, with Nicholson and Hannah Barrett kicking out 13 and O'Brien 11.