SAN FRANCISCO – Dominican women's volleyball fell 25-12, 25-17, 25-19 to Humboldt State before dropping a 25-21, 25-14, 25-22 decision to Cal State Dominguez Hills at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase on Saturday at The Swamp.
 
The Penguins (0-5) had their best hitting match of their season so far against the Jacks (4-3) and Toros (7-0), but it was not enough to slow down the hot-hitting CCAA teams. Freshman outside hitter Tiffany Wong recorded the first double-double of her career with 11 kills and 17 digs. Wong kept it rolling in the second match with 16 kills and 15 digs, while junior libero Hana Wyles narrowly missed a double-double of her own with 19 digs and eight assists.
 
HSU vs DUC
 
The teams traded the first 12 points of the match until the Jacks strung together four unanswered to take the 10-6 lead. HSU continued to spread the ball around to its hitters during a 10-1 run to take the 21-9 lead on their way to the set victory.
 
Lenox Loving got the Jacks started in the second set with three kills during a set opening 4-0 run. Freshman middle blocker Edee Leslie kept the Penguins close with two kills during a 3-point burst to close it to 8-6. Wong then ended a 4-0 Dominican run to close the gap to one at 13-12, but it was as close as it would get. Riley Tishlarich tallied a kill and a block as she led HSU on a 5-0 run to open the 22-16 lead it needed to finish out the victory in the second set.
 
Wong sparked the Penguin attack in the third set with a pair of kills to open a 4-1 lead early, but Loving rallied the Jacks on a 3-0 run of their own with two kills to tie it up. After several Dominican errors helped Humboldt State open a five-point lead, Wong again found the court for two kills during a 3-0 run to keep it close. The Jacks used several small runs down the stretch to hold off the Penguins for the 25-19 victory.
 
CSUDH vs DUC
 
The second match of the day was tightly contested between the Toros and the Penguins. Jenna Sandall helped CSUDH to the early 7-4 lead with an ace in the first set as neither team could create much separation. The Toros continued to use small runs to extend the lead to six, but freshman outside hitter Gabi Maiocco sparked a 5-1 run for Dominican with a kill and an ace to close the gap to 18-16. It would not be enough as CSUDH held on for the 25-21 victory, ending the set on a 3-1 run.
 
After trading points to a 4-4 tie in the second, Tay Benitez-Fanslow sparked the Toros on an 8-1 run with a pair of kills and an ace to create some separation. Wyles capped off a 3-0 run with an ace as the Penguins responded to close the gap to 12-8. The teams continued to trade points for the next several minutes, but CSUDH spread the ball around late for a 4-point burst that created all the separation it would need for the 25-14 set two victory.
 
The third set began as another tightly contested battle, but Sandall put down back-to-back kills for the Toros to help build a 14-10 lead near the midway point. The lead extended to as many as six, freshman middle blocker Edee Leslie helped drag Dominican back into the set with two kills and a block assist during a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to one. Junior outside hitter Eleni Loizou and Wong then put down back-to-back kills during a late 3-point burst to tie the match at 22. The Toros regrouped in a timeout and ended the match with a 3-0 run of their own.
 
Dominican will return home to open PacWest play Wednesday as it takes on Notre Dame de Namur at 7 p.m. PDT in the Conlan Center. Live stats and video will be available online.