SAN FRANCISCO – Despite double-digit kills from four players, the San Francisco State women's volleyball team dropped a tough five-set battle to Cal Poly Pomona (18-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-23, 16-14) on Thursday in a California Collegiate Athletic Association match at the Main Gymnasium. 
 
The Broncos displayed their prowess at the net, maintaining a 17.0-8.5 advantage in total blocks to help raise their record to 4-3 on the season and 1-2 in conference play.  Meanwhile, the Gators committed 10 more attack errors than their guests (38-28) and were also victimized by 13 service errors on the night, falling to 4-4 overall and 0-3 in the CCAA.
 
Halimah Oswald blasted a season-high 16 kills to pace the SF State offense, while Kelly Ostello, Megan Johnson and Robyn Hall finished with 10 put-aways of their own.  In addition, Iris Tolenada notched her second double-double of the year after posting a season-best 48 assists and 22 digs.
 
Similarly, Diana Lake (15 kills, 22 digs) and Karissa Lagmay (10 kills, 19 digs) recorded double-doubles for CPP, while Courtney Alberi (seven block assists) and Taylr Kreutziger (6 block assists) repeatedly frustrated the Purple and Gold attack throughout the match.
 
SF State came out firing in the opening set, knocking down 16 kills, compared to just six for the visitors. Following a Bronco attack error, kills by Hall and Johnson sandwiched around a Lauren Walsh service ace sparked an 18-9 Gator run, giving the host school a comfortable 21-12 advantage it would not relinquish.
 
However, CPP turned the tables in the second stanza as a put-away by Jessica Doerner put the Broncos ahead to stay at 9-8.  CPP gradually stretched the margin to seven as Alberi and Doerner combined on a block to put the guests up 22-15. SF State could draw no closer than four the rest of the way as a kill by Lake provided the clinching point.
 
The Gators promptly returned the favor in the third frame, crafting a sizeable 17-9 lead on the strength of five Ostello kills. The Broncos managed to trim the deficit to four at 24-20, but an Oswald strike found daylight, giving the Gators a 2-1 advantage in sets heading into intermission.
 
Despite holding a 19-10 edge in kills in set number four, SF State still found itself on the wrong side of a 23-16 tally on the scoreboard until a late rally came up just short. Three consecutive Walsh kills capped a 7-1 Gator outburst to narrow the gap to 24-23; however a Doerner put-away following a CPP timeout sent the frenzied match into a fifth frame.
 
SF State overcame an early 7-4 deficit in the final set, forging a 13-11 lead as a Tolenada kill and an errant Bronco attack punctuated a 9-4 run.  However, CPP answered with a 5-1 spurt of its own down the stretch as Lake launched a kill and then combined with Kreutziger on a block to provide the winning point.
 
The Gators will hit the road this weekend, Sept. 16-17, for a pair of matches at Chico State and Cal State Stanislaus on consecutive nights.  First serve for both matches is set for 7 p.m.

Box Score