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LOS ANGELES — Cal State LA’s women’s volleyball team will host a top-notch three-day tournament in University Gym beginning on Thursday.
The Golden Eagles, receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Poll released on Tuesday, will open tournament play against No. 14 Simon Fraser on Thursday at 5 p.m. in the first of six tournament matches over three days.
No. 18 Colorado Mesa (3-1) and No. 19 Cal Poly Pomona (1-2) are also in the four-team tourney.
Cal State LA, the 2023 NCAA Division II champions, will play one match each day. After facing Simon Fraser on Thursday, the Golden Eagles will face Colorado Mesa in the third of three matches on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
The Golden Eagles will complete tournament play on Saturday at 5 p.m. against California Collegiate Athletic Association foe Cal Poly Pomona. The two teams will meet again in conference play in Los Angeles on Oct. 17.
The complete schedule is listed below:
Thursday, Sept. 11
Cal State LA vs. Simon Fraser, 5 p.,m.
Friday, Sept. 12
Cal Poly Pomona vs. Colorado Mesa, 11 a.m.
Cal Poly Pomona vs. SImon Fraser, 4 p.m.
Cal State LA vs. Colorado Mesa, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 13
Colorado Mesa vs. Simon Fraser, 2:30 p.m.
Cal State LA vs. Cal Poly Pomona, 5 p.m.
No. 14 Simon Fraser enters the tournament with a 3-0 record after three wins at the Western Washington Invitational, including five-set wins over San Francisco State and Cal Poly Pomona. The Red Leafs also recorded a three-set sweep over then-No. 3 St. Cloud State. The Red Leafs defeated San Francisco State, 15-0, in the fifth set of that victory.
The Red Leafs were picked to finish second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference behind defending champion Central Washington. Simon Fraser was 17-9 last season and reached the NCAA Tournament.
No. 18 Colorado Mesa went 3-1 in the Mavericks’ season-opening tournament in San Angelo, Texas. The Mavericks posted three-set sweeps over Arkansas-Monticello, Southern Nazarene and UT Permian Basin and fell to No. 2 and tournament host Angelo State in five sets in their final match.
The Mavericks have been ranked nationally in the top-25 for 43 consecutive polls dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season.
No. 19 Cal Poly Pomona, the defending CCAA champions, went 1-2 in the Western Washington Invitational, falling in five sets to Simon Fraser and in three sets to GNAC favorite Central Washington while beating Western Washington in four sets.
The Broncos were 25-4 last season and reached the West Region championship match. Cal Poly Pomona hosted both the CCAA and NCAA West Region tournaments.
Cal State LA is receiving votes after opening the season with a 3-1 record at the Hawaii Challenge. The Golden Eagles got plenty of tournament experience during their stay, going five sets in their first three contests – including two on the opening day – before ending the tourney with a sweep of Hawaii Hilo. The Golden Eagles beat Chaminade in five sets and fell to Hawaii Pacific in five sets with the first match of the day being held at Chaminade and the second at Hawaii Pacific. Cal State LA also beat St. Mary’s of Texas in five sets during the tourney.
Ayjah Landers was named the tourney Most Valuable Player and was joined on the All-Tourney team by Samarah DaCoud.
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