FULLERTON, Calif. – The Cal State Fullerton women's volleyball team closed its 2025 season with a 3-0 loss to UC Santa Barbara, falling 13–25, 16–25, 18–25 on Saturday at Titan Gym. The Titans finished the season with an 8-22 overall record and a 3-15 record in Big West play. 
 
Saturday's match also marked Senior Day, honoring four Titans: veterans Ketesia Hall (3 kills, 3 block assists) and Mya Tillman (2 kills, 9 assists), along with transfers Carissa Wiles (7 kills) and Fina Tuinauvai (1 kill). 

The Titans opened the match with a 3-0 lead behind a kill from Hannah Hass, but UC Santa Barbara quickly used a 9-0 run to take control of the first set at 15-6. Zariah Crosby posted a solo block and added three block assists, while Lira Pukl Verdel, Tillman, Wiles, and Hass contributed kills as the Titans battled to climb back. The Gauchos closed the first set with a 25-13 victory on a challenged touch, taking a 1-0 lead. 

Fullerton found another early 6-4 lead in the second set off a Crosby kill and block assist. The Gauchos took advantage of Fullerton's attack errors to regain the lead, but Tuinauvai kept the set within reach with a dump kill that made it 8-7. UC Santa Barbara later pulled away to a 20-16 lead before capping the set at 25-16. 

Wiles opened the third set with back-to-back kills, helping the Titans to a 3-0 start before the Gauchos tied the set at 6-6. Pukl Verdel added a service ace, and Marisa Nakata, who led the Titans with 11 digs, put down a kill for a 9-7 lead. The Titans extended their lead to 12-9 with kills from Hall, Pukl Verdel, and Wiles. UC Santa Barbara answered to tie the set at 17-17, then took the match in a 25-18 victory. 

Overall, the Titans hit .152 on the season with 1,109 kills, 185.5 blocks, 1,396 digs, and 129 service aces. 

This season marked a turnaround under first-year head coach Nicky Cannon, who led the Titans to eight total wins and three Big West victories, including the program's first win over UC San Diego and its most conference wins since 2022. 

Fullerton opened the year with a winning record for the first time since 2019 and produced six All-Tournament Team honors across five players. 

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