POMONA, Calif.– The Central Washington University volleyball team (3-1) pushed Cal Poly Pomona throughout Thursday evening but was unable to overcome the Broncos' efficient attack in a three-set loss at Kellogg Arena.
Quoting Head Coach Lauren Herseth
"Pomona is a very good team; we were in each set to give ourselves a chance and our offense started going, we just didn't execute how we would've liked."
How It Happened
Central battled the Broncos throughout the evening but ultimately fell in straight sets, 25-19, 25-23, 25-22. The Wildcats were led by
Ellie Marble's match-high 12 kills, while
Kennedy Webb and
Corinne Westby added six kills apiece.
Kayleigh-Shay Chang and
Addie Allen directed the offense with 16 and 11 assists, respectively, while
Brooklyn Parker anchored the back row with 10 digs as CWU moved to 3-1 on the season.
First Set
The opening set featured eight ties as neither side could gain much separation early. CWU used kills from Marble, Webb, Westby, and Willsey to stay even at 13-13, but Cal Poly Pomona responded with a 4-0 run to open a 17-13 advantage. The Wildcats fought to within 18-16 behind kills from Westby and Marble, yet the Broncos continued to side out efficiently and used their .520 hitting percentage to close out a 25-19 first-set victory.
Second Set
The 'Cats came out aggressively in the second frame, racing to a 4-0 lead behind two Marble service aces and a pair of early kills. The Wildcats maintained the advantage through much of the set and led 18-14 after a Willsey kill. Cal Poly Pomona slowly chipped away, however, tying the set at 21-21 and eventually taking a 24-22 lead. After a Bronco service error kept CWU alive, the hosts recorded a final kill to escape with a 25-23 win and take a two-set advantage.
Third Set
The Wildcats refused to go away in the third set and stayed within striking distance throughout. After falling behind 7-5 early, CWU rallied to tie the score at 9-9 and later used back-to-back service aces from Allen to pull within 18-15. Marble and Westby helped fuel another late push, trimming the deficit to 24-22, but Cal Poly Pomona scored the final point to secure the 25-22 set win and complete the sweep.
Up Next
The 'Cats get right back to it tomorrow afternoon for their second game of the Bronco Classic, taking on Cal State Los Angeles. First serve from Kellogg Arena is set for 2:30 p.m.
