SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco State women's volleyball team ran into a buzzsaw on Saturday, dropping a three-set decision to Cal Poly Pomona (25-17, 25-17, 26-24) in a California Collegiate Athletic Association match in the Main Gymnasium. The Gators were unable to contain a potent Bronco attack as the visitors hit .317 on the night, including a .480 clip in the second set.
With the loss, SF State moves to 10-8 on the season and 7-6 in league play, while CPP completed a sweep of the season series, improving to 8-10 overall and 6-7 in the CCAA.
The Gators were led by Robyn Hall, who tied for match-high honors with 11 kills, while Halimah Oswald finished with a .318 hitting percentage on 10 kills in 22 attempts with three errors. In addition, Iris Tolenada notched her fifth double-double of the year with 31 assists and 12 digs. On the defensive side, SF State also received 13 digs each from Sarah Kurfess and Jackie Domecus.
Meanwhile, the Broncos were paced by Lindsey Poulos, who hit a blistering .526 for the match on 11 kills in 19 attempts with just one error. CPP also received eight kills apiece from Kristin McNeese (.364) and Sinead Palmer (.333), while Katie Colin and Kelly Bonja added 31 assists and 12 digs, respectively. Poulos and McNeese figured prominently at the net as well after finishing with five block assists each.
As a team, the Gators maintained a 50-39 advantage in digs and held a slight 39-38 edge in kills; however, the Purple and Gold committed more errors (24-6) and found itself trailing in total blocks by a 9-1 margin.
The Broncos took control of the opening set as a kill by McNeese sparked a 14-6 run to put the visitors up by a score of 17-9. SF State was unable to shave the deficit under five as an attack error provided CPP with the clinching point.
With momentum on their side, the Broncos shifted into overdrive in the second stanza, knocking down 13 kills in 25 attempts with just one error (.480). Conversely, the Gators' offensive woes continued as the Purple and Gold mustered only a .028 attack percentage (10-9-36) after hitting .051 in the first set. Of those nine errors, four materialized during a 5-0 Bronco spurt that broke a 2-2 tie. With SF State in pursuit mode, CPP eventually stretched its lead to a comfortable 23-14 margin after a McNeese service ace, while a kill by Diana Lake closed out the frame.
The Broncos seemed poised to run away with the third set after another McNeese kill put the visitors out in front by a 15-10 margin. However, the Gators battled back with a 10-4 run as a kill by Lauren Walsh gave the Purple and Gold its first lead of the frame at 20-19. Moments later, a kill by Oswald put SF State in front by a 24-22 count, prompting visions of another thrilling comeback. However, CPP quickly doused those plans with a 4-0 run as two Poulos kills alternating between two Gator attack errors cemented the match.
SF State hits the road next weekend, Oct. 22-23, for a pair of matches at UC San Diego and Cal State East Bay on respective nights. Both contests are slated to begin at 7 p.m.
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