SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The CUI women's volleyball team headed down the coast as they started competition in the Seaside Invitational at Point Loma. The Golden Eagles played the first game of the tournament against Simon Fraser and won in a five game thriller with scores 25-21, 18-25, 25, 21, 16-25, and 15-8.
 
The first two sets were split between CUI and SFU where each team went on a service run and ran with it until the end of the sets. Simon Fraser took an early 11-6 lead over CUI in the third set until two kills from Cassie Prior and Kennedy Farley each tightened the gap and eventually took the lead with a 20-17 lead. A service error from SFU closed out the set in favor of CUI.
 
The fourth set went to Simon Fraser as they went on two long runs that made the Golden Eagles unable to get back in the game and forced a fifth set. Julia Wilson went on another long service run in the beginning of the fifth set to help the Golden Eagles extend their lead with a score of 6-3 over SFU. CUI held them from going on more than a two point run to take a comfortable lead and win 15-8.
 
Kirra Schulz finished the five set match with another double-double of 13 kills and 20 digs. Farley was right behind with 11 kills and Ola Magiera contributing six. Freshman Cassie Prior added eight kills and two blocks. Middles Caitlin Jarrell and Jalyssa Sanchez had four kills and two blocks a-piece. Halli Hooks made her presence known on the court defensively as she had four blocks with two of them being solo.
 
Three different setters played during the match with Michelle Feliciano dishing out 22, Kawehi Chang had 13, and Devin Sivertson with seven assists. Feliciano and Chang also made an impact in the back row picking up 12 and nine digs, respectively. Libero Wilson had 14 digs and five assists.
 
The Golden Eagles will be back at Point Loma for a double header on Friday, Sept. 2 as they take on San Francisco State at 12 p.m. and Cal Poly Pomona at 7:30 p.m.
 
To see the full CUI women's volleyball schedule, click HERE.