By Alex Franco

Sports Editor
Escondido High School was the site or two exciting volleyball games on Oct. 2 and 4 that showcased why CSUSM volleyball [18 – 8] is ranked No. 11 in the country.
On Oct. 2, the Lady Cougars defeated the Chapman Panthers in 4 sets, 3-1 (25-16, 19-25, 25-20 and 25-18).
Junior Jaycee Arthur was the game’s breakout player, leading the way with 16 kills for the Lady Cougars.
“The game was so much fun. It was a tough one, we played through and rebounded from a few mental errors in the game,” Arthur said.
The Cougars bounced back after losing the game’s second set, winning the next two sets to victory.
“Chapman is a good team, they get better and better each year and always give us a challenge and never gave up,” Head Coach Andrea Leonard said.
Sophomore Taylor DeGraaf also added 14 kills and 4 aces in the game as she continues her torrid pace, ranking seventh in the NAIA in kills. The duo of DeGraaf and Arthur carried the offense for CSUSM. When asked about the team’s current hot streak, Arthur cites the match against La Sierra, where they won in straight sets,  as the turning point in their approach and mentality.
On Oct. 4, the Lady Cougars rallied back to defeat San Diego Christian in 4 sets, after a 23 – 25 opening set loss. This marked the fourth consecutive victory and fifth straight home game win for the Lady Cougars.
DeGraaf finished the match with and impressive 20 kills, and sophmore setter Alyssa Foster was credited with seven kills and 40 assists. Freshmen Andi Vordermann also played an impressive offensive game with nine kills and a .364 hitting percentage.
The next home game for the Lady Cougars is Tuesday, Oct. 16, against Westmont College. Both Arthur and Coach Leonard urge the CSUSM student body to come out and support the team as they play their hearts out each game.
“The blue crew is always great, but let’s gets more fans out here!” both Arthur and Leonard said.