SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--Hawai`i Hilo made a game comeback in the third set but it was just short and a little late during a 3-0 win for Cal State Monterey Bay in the opener of the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase.

The Otters improved to 4-1 with the 25-8, 25-17, 25-23 win hosted by San Francisco State at The Swamp at the Don Nasser Family Plaza. The Vulcans (1-2) will play again at 5 p.m. Pacific time (2 p.m. Hawaii) against the University of Alaska.

This one started on the wrong side of the tracks for the Vulcans. The Otters took an early 4-3 lead in the first set and proceeded to score 11 of the next 12 points to run away with the opener (25-8). In the second set, UH Hilo made some adjustments, battling back from a 10-5 deficit to cut the margin to 14-12 after back-to-back kills by Siera Green. But CSUMB, of the California Collegiate Athletic Association, scored three straight points after a timeout (17-13) and then scored four of the final five points to close out the set (25-17).

The Vulcans came out fighting in the third set, dashing out to a 7-2 lead. The Otters battled back, eventually tying the set at 13-13 and then taking a 16-13 lead. Next, it was UH Hilo's turn to come back, with a pair of kills and an ace from Green. The teams then traded blows, tied at 20-20, before CSUMB crept to a 24-21 lead and match point. Vulcan put-aways by Kylie Davis and Green made it 24-23, but Amber Tygart's swing ended the match and gave the Otters the sweep.

"It was hard to dig out of the hole that we made for ourselves," said Vulcan head coach Gene Krieger. "But we played much better in third set. Hopefully we can build on that moving forward."

Green led the Vulcans with 11 kills and three block assists. Davis had six kills, while Lucee Fitzgerald and Basia Sauni paced the defense with 10 digs each. The Vulcans hit just .089 in the match.

Anela Viserio had 13 kills to lead the Otters.

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