COSTA MESA, Calif. — Stanislaus State volleyball closed out its seven-match, season-opening road trip in dramatic fashion on Saturday afternoon, edging out UT Permian Basin in five sets (25-16, 25-19, 23-25, 17-25, 15-11) to wrap up play at the Biola/Vanguard Kickoff Classic. Sophomore outside hitter Malia Tanksley led the way with a career-high 14 kills, helping fuel the Warriors' strong start and clutch finish.

The Warriors came out strong, taking the first two sets with efficient offense and aggressive defense, but the Falcons (2-6) pushed back to force a fifth. Stan State responded with a composed final frame, hitting .333 in the deciding set while holding UTPB to a .095 clip to secure the win.

Set 1: After falling behind 4-0 to start the match, Stan State quickly regrouped and took control. The Warriors responded with a 10-2 run, sparked by kills from Malia Tanksley and Isabella Saucedo, and used steady pressure the rest of the way to pull away. Stan State limited UT Permian Basin to a negative hitting percentage and closed out the set comfortably, 25-16.

Set 2: The Warriors and Falcons traded points through much of the second set, battling through 12 ties and six lead changes. Tied at 19-19, Stan State locked in and rattled off six straight points to take the set 25-19 and build a 2-0 lead in the match. Tanksley continued to lead the attack, while the Warriors' defense held strong to keep the Falcons off balance.

Set 3: Stan State (2-5) stayed within striking distance throughout a tightly contested third set that featured multiple ties and momentum swings. The Warriors got offensive contributions from Emily Meyer and Reagan Wilkerson's balanced setting, but UTPB made the final push in the closing points to hand Stan State a narrow 25-23 loss.

Set 4: The momentum shifted in the fourth, as the Warriors fell behind early and couldn't recover. UT Permian Basin capitalized on several Stan State miscues and put together a pair of mini-runs to extend its lead. Despite a few late points from Tanksley and Irene London, the Warriors dropped the set 25-17, sending the match to a decisive fifth frame.

Set 5: Stan State came out focused in the final set, building a 10-6 lead with a balanced attack and strong play at the net. The Warriors hit .333 in the frame and got key kills from Christallynn Tate and Malia Tanksley down the stretch. UT Permian Basin closed the gap to within a few points, but Stan State held firm to close out the match 15-11 and secure the road win.

Tanksley finished with a team-high 14 kills on 32 swings and added five block assists. Irene London tied her career best with seven kills and added six blocks, while Reagan Wilkerson recorded 24 assists and six digs. Libero Leah Mendoza led all players with 33 digs, and Christallynn Tate added eight kills and a team-best eight total blocks.

The win marks Stan State's second in its last three outings and improves the Warriors to 1-1 in five-set matches this season.

Notables:

• Malia Tanksley recorded a career-high 14 kills to lead the Warriors.
• Irene London tied her career high with 7 kills in the five-set victory.
• Leah Mendoza led all players with 33 digs, anchoring the Stan State defense — her second match this season with 30 or more digs.
• Reagan Wilkerson posted a season-high 24 assists while adding 6 digs.
• The win marked Stan State's second victory in their last three matches.
• The Warriors are now 1-1 in five-set matches this season.

Up Next: Stan State returns home for its CCAA and home opener on Thursday, Sept. 18 at 5 p.m. when the Warriors host Cal State Dominguez Hills on Student Affairs Night. The match kicks off a four-match home stand at Fitzpatrick Arena.