SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Cal State San Bernardino completed an undefeated Yotes Classic Showcase with a 3-0 victory over Saint Martin's University on Saturday afternoon at Kim Cherniss Court at Coussoulis Arena. Set scores were 25-22, 25-16, and 25-16.
With the victory, the Coyotes improve to 4-0 on the season, and finish as the only team to go undefeated at the tournament.
The opening set featured 16 ties and four lead changes, with neither team leading by more than two points until Saint Martin's went ahead 19-16. CSUSB answered with a 4-0 run that included a kill and service ace from senior Allison Legates and a kill from senior Kacie Pedersen. The Saints pulled even at 20-20, but the Coyotes scored five of the final seven points, with junior Sarai Ross ending the set on a kill. Pedersen led CSUSB with six kills as the Coyotes hit .310 with 17 kills.
CSUSB took control midway through the second set. Leading 13-12, the Coyotes scored four straight points, all on kills from junior Kisa Sagiao, to build a 17-12 advantage. Saint Martin's cut the deficit to four at 20-16 before CSUSB closed the set with five consecutive points. Pedersen recorded a service ace during the run, while freshman Lilly Hartman supplied the final two kills. Hartman finished with five kills in the set, and Sagiao added four as the Coyotes held the Saints to a .030 hitting percentage.
The Coyotes never trailed in the third set, opening with four straight points before extending their advantage to 16-8 behind three consecutive service aces from junior Jaiden Van Horn. CSUSB later used another 6-0 run to move ahead 23-13, with junior McKenna Edwards recording three aces during the stretch. Pedersen closed out the sweep with CSUSB's seventh service ace of the set.
CSUSB finished the match with 42 kills and 11 attack errors on 99 attempts for a .313 hitting percentage. The Coyotes hit above .300 in all three sets and held Saint Martin's to 29 kills and a .165 hitting percentage. CSUSB also finished with a 14-5 advantage in service aces.
Sagiao led the Coyotes with nine kills and only one error on 16 attempts for a .500 hitting percentage. Pedersen and Hartman each recorded eight kills, with Hartman hitting .357 and adding three blocks. Ross finished with seven kills, while Legates added five kills on .300 hitting and two aces.
Edwards recorded a team-high 14 assists and four service aces, while Van Horn added 13 assists, three aces and eight digs. Sophomore libero Saniyah Sobers led CSUSB with 12 digs and contributed six assists.
The Yotes will return to action Thursday at the Bronco Classic in Pomona, opening the tournament against Western Washington at 2:30 p.m. inside Kellogg Arena.
