Nov. 20, 2009

Courtesy of Cal State L.A. Sports Information Department

SAN BERNARDINO -- Cal State L.A.'s women's volleyball team left little doubt Friday -- the Golden Eagles are headed to the NCAA West Regional championship game for the first time since 2005.

The Golden Eagles, ranked 19th in the country, led from start to finish in a 25-21, 25-21, 25-22 win over No. 3 UC San Diego Friday in "The Den" at Cal State San Bernardino. Cal State L.A. (23-8) will face the winner of the Cal State San Bernardino-Alaska Anchorage match later Friday. The championship match is set for Saturday at 7 p.m.

The Golden Eagles beat the Tritons for the first time in three meetings this season and knocked UC San Diego out of the NCAA playoffs for the second straight year. Last year, the Golden Eagles beat the Tritons in five sets. This year, the match lasted three.

The Golden Eagles, seeded No. 6 in the West Region, have knocked out No. 3 seed Sonoma State and No. 2 seed UC San Diego in consecutive days.

Gabriela Bulawczyk led the Golden Eagles with 15 kills, while Zuzana Cizova added 12 kills.

The Golden Eagles were unfazed by the UC San Diego pep band, which set up across from the Cal State L.A. bench for two of the match's three sets. Cal State L.A. was also unfazed by a UC San Diego team that came into the contest with only two losses on the season. The Golden Eagles fell to the Tritons in five sets in Los Angeles on Sept. 18 and in four sets in La Jolla on Oct. 23.