After winning 10 times in a row, the Mustangs’ reign came to an end on Thursday, losing 2-3 against their rivals, the Gauchos, remaining at second place in the Big West.
The hard-fought five-set match against UCSB on Thursday pushed the Mustangs (21-6, 12-3 Big West) to its limit, featuring 42 ties and 17 lead changes.
Cal Poly opened with a hard-fought 25-22 win in set one, sealed by a kill from junior outside hitter Emma Fredrick, but the Mustangs dropped the next two sets and didn’t break through again until the fourth, forcing the match to a fifth set.
They held within striking distance until the final moments, but the Gauchos closed out the match in a tightly contested fifth frame, 15-13.
Standout Performances
The final score aside, the Mustangs had several standout performances on the stat sheet.
Senior setter Emme Bullis recorded her season-high 60 assists along with a career-best six kills, matching the Big West’s highest single-match assist total this year and showing her versatility on both sides of the ball.
Fredrick led the way with a career-high 21 kills, constantly finding holes in the UCSB defense.
Sophomore middle blocker Chloe Leluge followed behind Fredrick with a career-best 14 kills, with outside hitters sophomore Kendall Beshear and senior Annabelle Thalken reaching double digits as well, giving the Mustangs four hitters in double figures for the first time this season.
On the defense side, freshman middle blocker Charlotte Kelly anchored the block with three total stuffs, helping slow UCSB’s offense in key stretches.
Sophomore libero Elif Hurriyet once again led the team with 10 digs from the back row, her ninth double-digit performance of the season.
Looking ahead
Thursday’s loss, although it didn’t drop Cal Poly’s Big West standing, did slow their momentum as the team heads into the final stretch of conference play. However, with their focused offense and defensive play, the Mustangs are sitting in a good position for growth just in time for their next game.
They continue to occupy second place in the standings, holding a one-match advantage over UC Santa Barbara and Long Beach State.
Cal Poly returns home to the Mott Athletics Center on Saturday for their Senior Night and aims to complete their undefeated at-home record.