12th-ranked Cal Poly beach volleyball won two of its first three matches at the Big West Challenge on Friday, Mar. 25 in Long Beach.
The Mustangs (12-9) swept CSUN and Sacramento State before falling 5-0 to No. 15 Long Beach State.
CSUN
Cal Poly opened the day with a 5-0 sweep over CSUN, as all flights swept their opponents in straight sets.
Freshman Ella Connor and redshirt senior Tia Miric won 21-15 and 21-14 as the No. 1 pair. Freshman Piper Ferch and redshirt junior Jayelin Lombard followed with a 21-18 and 21-15 win on court two.
The No. 3 pair of sophomore Rachel Rahtz and freshman Peyton Dueck won 21-12 and 21-19. Redshirt juniors Erika Foreman and Eleonore Johansen swept their opponents 21-13 and 21-16 as the No. 5 duo.
Sophomore Piper Naess and redshirt sophomore Josie Ulrich solidified the sweep with a 21-8 and 21-19 victory on court four.
Sacramento State
In their second match, the Mustangs earned their second sweep of the day, winning 5-0 over Sacramento State.
On court five, redshirt junior Vanessa Roscoe and Ulrich won by forfeit. Connor and Miric won in straight sets again as the No. 1 flight, 21-13 and 21-12.
Rahtz and Naess won on court three in dominant fashion, 21-9 and 21-7. The No. 2 pair of Ferch and Lombard won 21-14 and 21-15.
Sophomore Sam Strah and Johansen won on court four in straight sets, 21-18 and 21-19.
No. 15 Long Beach State
In their third and final match of day one, a top-15 matchup with Long Beach State saw the Mustangs fall 5-0.
Ferch and Lombard fell in straight sets on court two, 21-13 and 21-16. Connor and Miric lost on court one, 26-24 and 21-14.
On court three, graduate Addison Hermstad and Dueck fell in three sets, winning set one 21-12 before falling in sets two and three, 21-16 and 15-12. Strah and Naess were swept as the No. 4 pair, 21-18 and 21-16.
Roscoe and Ulrich forced a third set on court five, dropping set one 21-14 and winning set two 21-17. However, the pair fell in set three 15-11.
Cal Poly is back in action for day two of the Big West Challenge against CSU Bakersfield at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Mar. 26.
