Cal Poly Volleyball began its first of a four-game homestand against Long Beach. The match was filled with anticipation as the Mustangs (16-7, 12-1 Big West) hold first place in the conference, while The Beach (19-4, 11-2 Big West) sit right behind them. Both teams came into the game on winning streaks; however, Long Beach continued theirs, now at seven, after beating Cal Poly (25-21, 18-25, 25-19, 21-25, 11-15) in five sets.
“I didn’t really feel like we ever got into a rhythm, and we’ve been really good at that all season… they dismantled our ability to run an offense, which is our bread and butter,” Head Coach Caroline Walters said. “Ultimately, that’s a team you have to beat to win both the regular season and the Big West championship here, so we’re glad we got their best; we’re gonna go back and watch film and get ready to see them again in late November.”
In a dynamic match from start to finish, Cal Poly recorded 51 kills, a .149 hitting percentage, and 69 digs. Long Beach had 63 kills, a .220 hitting percentage, and 66 digs, while both teams scored on five aces.
Before the first set began, the energy in the Mott Center was high; you could feel the tension in the arena before the first serve. Both teams went on scoring runs, and with every Cal Poly lead, Long Beach stayed close, trying to chip away at the Mustang lead. Both teams started ferociously, each recording double-digit kills in the first set; Cal Poly had 15, while Long Beach had 13. Alas, the Mustangs took the first set, 25-21.
Long Beach established themselves in the second set, determined to even the sets. They went on a five-point scoring run while holding a lead; at once, Cal Poly faced an eight-point deficit. The Beach took complete control after two early ties, with no lead changes. The Mustangs were held to a .100 hitting percentage, down from .333 in the first set. Long Beach won the second set, 25-18.
In the third set, the Mustangs came out rejuvenated and started 4-0. Cal Poly’s lead grew as large as nine in this gritty third set, which saw no ties or lead changes, yet both teams recorded 12 kills and hit under .200. Cal Poly bounced back to win the set 25-19.
A back-and-forth fourth set saw four ties and three lead changes before either team reached 10 points. However, Long Beach controlled the set after taking the lead. Down 24-16, Cal Poly attempted to make a comeback, going on a five-score run to keep Long Beach at their set point for as long as possible; while both teams once again reached double-digit kills, the Mustangs were held under a .200 hitting percentage; Long Beach took the set in a near 25-21 victory.
The final and fifth set saw two early coaches challenges that set the tone, both in favor of the Sharks. While there were three recorded ties, no lead changes occurred after Long Beach took control and closed out the series 15-11, winning the game 3-2.
“Now that [Long Beach] are just one match behind us, I’m excited to see how the group responds to that even added pressure of the regular season championship, and then learning to play with that pressure for the next five matches,” Walters said.
The Mustangs never seem to be short of firepower as Emma Fredrick led the team with 19 kills, 66 attacks and 20 points. Kendall Beshear complemented in her role, providing 12 kills, 43 attacks, 15 digs and 15.5 points. Alexis Haury, coming off her fourth honor as player of the week, continued her great form, adding 21 digs and 41 assists.
Cal Poly will now continue its home-and-home series, looking to bounce back in their next match against Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 7 at 6 p.m.