OAKLAND, Calif. — Several players had career nights but the Dominican University of California women's volleyball team dropped a tough 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 17-25, 25-18, 19-17) decision to Holy Names on Saturday evening.

Pilkerton led all players with a career-high 19 kills and added three block assists but the Penguins squandered a 2-1 lead to their Bay Area rivals. Rains also recored a career-high with her 16 kills, and added to her program-best blocks total with three block solos and five block assists. Hannah Smith dished out a career-high 57 assists and had 11 digs. Madison Marshall recorded a career-high nine kills. Madeline Powelson added 12 kills and Amanda Lee had 19 digs and two service aces, both team-highs.

The Penguins were the stronger team at the net with 11 total blocks compared to only four by the Hawks. The Penguins also had 10 more blocks than the Hawks (67-57) but Holy Names used strong service, including eight aces, to take the edge.

HNU set the tone early, opening the match 6-0 before Melanie Rangel's service error finally got Dominican on the board. The Penguins pulled to within a point at 18-17 but never overcame the early deficit, falling 25-21. Set two was tightly contested until the Penguins rattled off six of the set's final seven points, including the final four, which consisted of a pair of HNU errors, a Shannon RiggioKerley serivce ace, and a Rains kill.

The Penguins kept things rolling into set three and staked a 9-2 lead. HNU chipped the lead down to a point at 16-15 but a Pilkerton kill began a 9-2 run that closed out the set 25-17 in Dominican's favor.

A 5-2 lead didn't hold up for the Penguins in set four and HNU used several small bursts to even the match with the 25-18 win. The turning point came with Dominican trailing 18-14. Madeline Powelson slammed down an attack that looked to be dug out of bounds by Christina Cobbarvius instead went back over the net and grazed the line. From there, HNU took the set 25-18.

Dominican raced out to an 11-7 lead in set five but the raucous "Disco Night" crowd seemed to rally HNU to an 11-11 tie. A Pilkerton kill positioned the Penguins for match point at 14-13 but HNU kept the match alive, then won the match on a Katie Lopez kill and a ball that fell between Dominican players after miscommunication.

Dominican heads to Fresno Pacific on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m., then finishes the season at home for its final three matches.