SEASIDE, Calif.- Dominican women's volleyball traveled a couple hours down the coast this weekend to tip-off their 2026 season playing in the Cal State Monterey Bay Otter Classic. The black and gold played two games today against Northwest Nazarene and Cal State San Marcos and will wrap up the tournament tomorrow against Sioux Falls and the host team CSUMB.
NNU 3, DUC 1
Sophomore
Cierra Ray led the Pengs in the offensive category for the first match of the tournament against the Nighthawks. Ray, the Vallejo native, slammed down 10 kills while
Kali Young was right behind her with eight.
The black and gold were able to secure the second set thanks in part to the blocking duo of
Ashlyn Daugherty and
Kalaya Phung. They came up with huge blocks down the stretch, and both Daugherty and Phung collected three blocks a piece. Junior
Jesaria Conley-Hudson clinched the second set victory for Dominican when she received a nice dish from teammate
Chloe Cruz and rocketed one past the Nighthawks.
CSUSM 3, DUC 2
The second match of the day for the Penguins turned out to be a nailbiter against the Cougars of CSU San Marcos. The Cougars took the first two sets of the match, but the Penguins never backed down as their charge was once again led by sophomore Ray who collected a team high 13 kills.
Dominican paced CSU San Marcos in the kills department slamming home 54 of them in the match with
Alexis Schwartz and freshman Kristina Antonio right behind Ray posting 10 a piece. Speaking of freshman contributors,
Bella Vertudez was setting up her teammates left and right dishing out 20.
In the third set, the black and gold never looked back after sophomore
Sophia Bernabe caught the Cougars napping with a service ace pushing their lead up to eight. Bernabe, the Vallejo native, was everywhere on the court for the Pengs digging out a game high 28 digs. Dominican would keep the momentum going in the fourth as back-to-back kills from Ray locked up an eight point set victory.
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