The Kelp Bed was filled with fans, parents and visiting teams for the California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) Volleyball invitational from Aug. 31 through Sept. 2. The Otters set the pace for the season, playing four of their first games of the year with a cohort of six new freshmen players.
Kaylie Honberger, an outside hitter and fifth-year, said that starting the season in the Kelp Bed “was awesome, it makes us really comfortable because we practice in this gym every day!”
This will be Honberger’s last season playing volleyball for CSUMB, and she’s “looking forward to playing more games, I’m taking in every moment and I’m super excited to give it my all one last time.”
“I love the family atmosphere the program has built. We’re looking forward to the new group of freshmen coming in and playing hard and gelling as a team with the seniors,” said Honberger’s father, Bruce Honberger.
“We’re excited to watch the team grow and watch her improve,” he said while supporting his daughter from the stands.
CSUMB lost three out of four games they competed in against Minnesota, Northwest Nazarene and Westmont. Each game was a close call, however, with the final scores being 3-2. The Otters were victorious in their match against Dominican University, with a final score of 3-0.
The Otters will next play at the Sonoma State Invitational starting Thursday, Sept. 7, and their next home game will be an official California Collegiate Athletic Association game against Cal Poly Pomona on Friday, Sept. 15.
