In the Big West Championship, Cal Poly Volleyball and the University of Hawaii battled for the automatic bid into the NCAA National Tournament, with Hawaii ultimately coming out as Big West Champions in four sets on Nov. 30 at the Bren Events Center.
After going down 2-0, the tournament’s top-seeded Mustangs (22-9, 14-4 Big West) won the third set but couldn’t string any more wins against the No. 2 seeded Rainbow Wahine (21-9, 13-5).
Making due without Stockham or Bullis
With both redshirt senior outside hitter Tommi Stockham and redshirt junior setter Emme Bullis out for the matchup versus Hawaii, the Mustangs were shorthanded for the championship match.
They looked to sophomore setter Samantha Callahan for the second game in a row and outside hitters sophomore Emma Fredrick and freshman Kendall Beshear to pick up for the injured Mustangs.
Callahan started the semifinal match against Long Beach State and had an impressive game, with 40 assists, nine digs, and a block.
In this match, Callahan finished with a career-high 42 assists and six digs, while Fredrick had 12 kills and two blocks and Beshear added 10 digs.
Too Many Errors
In the first set, the Mustangs stayed in it until they started to commit errors, at which point the Rainbow Wahine pulled away.
With four attack errors and four service errors, Cal Poly granted Hawaii eight free points in the first set.
This trend continued for the Mustangs throughout the entire night. In the second set, Cal Poly had seven total errors. Even in the third set, although winning the set, the Mustangs had 10 errors. The problems continued into the fourth set with 12 errors.
What’s next for the Mustangs
With the loss, Cal Poly does not receive the automatic bid into the national tournament.
The national tournament selection show takes place on Sunday, Dec. 1, and Cal Poly was looking to receive one of the 33 at-large bids.
Although unlikely, it is not impossible. Last season, a Big West team did receive an at-large bid into the tournament.
Despite finishing No. 73 in the nation in ranked percentage index and winning the regular season crown, it wasn’t enough, as Cal Poly did not receive an at-large bid.
Although the Mustangs will notably be without Stockham, redshirt junior outside hitter Lizzy Markovska and redshirt senior outside hitter Amy Hiatt this season has proven they have the available depth and young talent to continue to compete for the top spot in the Big West.