BOX SCORE

SEASIDE, Calif. — The young Cal State Monterey Bay volleyball team took another big step in its growth process, removing a pesky monkey from its back with a 25–20, 26–24, 25–20 sweep of Cal Poly Pomona Saturday night in The Kelp Bed.

Although CSUMB (8–6, 2–4 CCAA) has had some success against Cal Poly (5–7, 3–4), almost all of it had come on the road. But the Otters earned their first home win over the Broncos since 2006 by hitting an efficient .281 for the match, it's highest percentage in CCAA play since they hit .330 in a 2011 sweep of Cal State Stanislaus. Defensively, the Otters dug 61 balls, good for No. 10 on the CSUMB list for digs in a three–set match.

Individually, the Otter youngsters stepped up big again Saturday night. Sophomore outside hitter Julia Ashen reached double figures for the 11th consecutive match, leading all attackers with 17 kills. Ashen had seven in the first set and nine in the second. Fittingly, her 17th kill came on match point to seal the CSUMB victory.

Ashen also posted her fourth consecutive double–double by adding a match–high 16 digs.

Freshman outside hitter Jessica Malcolm enjoyed a second consecutive 14–kill performance while freshman middle blocker Janai Johnson also reached double figures again by putting down 10 kills to go along with a match–high four blocks.

Running the show as usual was sophomore setter Kelsey Johnston, who passed for 42 assists, just missing Nicki Sanderson's CSUMB record of 43 in a three–set match.

Only set one Saturday wasn't fiercely contested. The Otters raced to a 17–8 lead in that one before parrying a late Bronco run. But Pomona led as late as 20–19 in set two and was tied as late as 17–17 in the third before the Otters put both sets on ice.

CSUMB gets right back into CCAA action Tuesday night, hosting Cal State East Bay in the Kelp Bed for a 7 p.m. first serve.