Cal Poly Volleyball secured a thrilling five-set win after a challenging battle in sets two and three, successfully fending off a potential reverse sweep against Long Beach State on Thursday, Oct. 24, at Walter Pyramid.
The Mustangs (14-6, 7-2 Big West) entered the match, tied with the Beach (12-7, 6-3 Big West) for second place in the Big West.
Key players such as redshirt senior outside hitter Tommi Stockham and freshman outside hitter Kendall Beshear led the team with powerful attacks, while the team’s blocking and coverage kept Long Beach at bay.
Despite some service errors in the first set, Cal Poly won set one 25-18.
The Beach had a stronger start to set two, building an early 6-2 lead.
Tactical adjustments and court awareness gave the Beach an advantage as Cal Poly struggled to contain Long Beach’s aggressive hitters. The Beach capitalized on their attacks and tied the score 1-1 after winning the second set 25-20.
The Mustangs fought to regain momentum in the third set but found themselves trailing for most of the set.
Long Beach continued to apply pressure, building early leads and forcing the Mustangs into difficult positions.
However, the Mustangs closed in and grabbed momentum down the stretch in the third set, only down by two points.
Long Beach had possession in a set-point attempt and made a service error, closing the gap for Cal Poly, only trailing by one point, 24-23.
The service error gave the Mustangs hope of closing out the set with the offensive possession, but they ultimately fell short due to a Long Beach attack kill, losing 25-23.
Cal Poly jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the fourth set, highlighted by crucial kills from redshirt sophomore middle blocker Breklyn Pulling, who led the Mustangs in kills tonight with 14.
Long Beach struck back immediately and answered with a 3-0 run to cut the deficit, eventually tying the score at 12 apiece.
In a back-and-forth battle, Cal Poly regained control to win the set 25-23, forcing a decisive fifth set.
The Mustangs were in total control from the start, going into the final set. An early 5-1 lead gave the Mustang an advantage they needed to hold for the rest of the set.
Stockham’s offense and defense contributed significantly to the team’s success. She acquired 13 kills and 11 digs, securing her seventh double-double of the season.
Relentless blocking from the Mustangs’ front line sealed the deal, as Cal Poly cruised to a 15-7 score in the fifth set, making a comeback and securing the win.
Stockham’s double-double and key blocks from freshman middle blocker Chloe Leluge helped the Mustangs strike a comeback and win set five.
The Mustangs will return home on Saturday, Oct. 26, to face UC San Diego at 2 p.m. at Mott Athletics Center.
