SEASIDE, Calif. – Strong defense highlighted by three players with double-digit digs helped the Cal State Monterey Bay women's volleyball team keep 23rd ranked Cal Poly Pomona on the ropes Saturday night at the Kelp Bed, but in the end the Broncos prevailed with a 3-1 (25-22, 20-25, 25-20, 25-23) win.
Freshman #Rheann Fall# led the Otters with 12 kills in addition to nine digs. Junior #Alisha Thomas# added 11 kills on a .286 clip. The Otters block party continued to dominate the net with eight blocks and junior #Elizabeth Hanna# led the way with six total blocks (two solo).
In the opening stages of the first set, the Otters went on a four-point run to break a 5-5 tie. Fall and Hanna began the rally with a kill each. After Hanna nabbed a stuff block, Fall served up an ace to raise the score to 9-5, the Otters largest lead of the set. The Broncos ended the set with a 25-22 win.
The Otters dominated the second set, holding the lead throughout. CSUMB went on a 7-3 run in the middle of the set to establish a cushion. After three set-point opportunities, CSUMB clinched the win on a Bronco service error. Fall recorded five of her 12 kills and a .500 clip. CSUMB outhit the Broncos .257 to .211.
Set three was mirror image of the previous set but in the Bronco's favor. The Otters closed CPP's lead at the 23-19 point on a kill by junior #Rayna Richardson#. CPP put the set away on two straight kills to earn a 25-20 victory.
The Broncos took a 16-10 lead in the final set, but the Otters fought back with kills by Richardson and Thomas. Freshman #Melanie Lashbrook# nabbed a kill off a two-touch play on sophomore setter #Dana Grimm#'s dig to close in on the CPP's 22-21 lead. Broncos' Anne-Marie Hoffman connected on a cross-court kill to set up the Bronco's match point. Fall answered with a crush down the line for a kill to prolong the match. After a Bronco timeout, Hoffman put the match away with her 18th kill of the night.
The Otters tallied 59 digs in the match with freshman #Dionna Lucas# (16), junior #Katie Bos# (12) and Grimm (12) recording double digits.
The Otters continue their 13-game homestand on Tuesday, Sept. 16 against NCAA Division III UC Santa Cruz. First serve is at 7 p.m.
