POMONA, Calif. – After playing the first match at 10 a.m., the Western Oregon University volleyball team had to wait until 7 p.m. this evening for their second match of the day on Friday against host Cal Poly Pomona. The Broncos held off a rally by the Wolves in the third set to claim the 3-0 victory (25-16, 25-13, 25-23).
WOU (1-2) hit .231 during the third set which included 15 kills to nearly push the match to a fourth set. Madison Hornback led the offense with 10 kills, while Laney O'Neil dished out 18 assists. On defense, Sophie Matlock had eight digs, while Bella Maclellan added a block.
CPP (2-0) moved out to the early 8-3 lead in the first set playing in their only match of the day on Friday against the Wolves. WOU got back to within three a couple of times, including at 13-10 on a kill by Hornback. A Lauren Smith kill a few points later brought the Wolves back to within two at 14-12. Still down by two at 16-14, CPP reeled off a 7-1 run to open up a 23-15 lead. Isabel Hurliman posted a kill towards the end of the run, but the Broncos came back to finish off the set with the final two points for the 25-16 opening set win.
It was a similar start to the second set. A Hornback kill had WOU within a point at 5-4 when the Broncos went on a 5-1 run to take a 10-5 lead. WOU answered right back with three straight points to get back to within two before an 8-1 run by CPP put them firmly in control at 18-9. Smith and Sarah Crowell picked up points down the stretch before the Broncos took the 25-13 second set win.
WOU fought back to tie early in the third set at eight following a kill from Hurliman and a solo block by Maclellan. CPP looked to be pulling away after they answered with five straight points for a 13-8 lead. Still trailing 17-10, the Wolves got right back in the set. After an attacking error, O'Neil spun in a service ace and Makenzie York added a kill for a quick 3-0 run. Following a kill by the Broncos, WOU went on another 3-0 run as CPP committed a pair of errors and York tallied a service ace to leave CPP ahead by just two at 18-16. The Wolves eventually came all the way back to knot the set at 23 with Hornback posting a kill and an attack error by the Broncos evened the set. CPP was able to hold off the comeback attempt, getting a kill and a block over the next two points to grab the 25-23 third set win and 3-0 match victory.
WOU ended up with 33 kills to 15 errors in 96 chances for a .188 percentage. CPP recorded 40 kills to nine errors in 81 chances for a .383 percentage. Overall, CPP held the edge in service aces (5-3), blocks (8-1), assists (31-30) and digs (32-24).
Jazminn Parrish led the Broncos with 12 kills and Kiram Zimmerman had 26 assists. On defense, Kaitlan Tucker sent back three blocks and Brynn Sherbert posted 14 digs.
WOU will close the Cal Poly Pomona Tournament tomorrow (Saturday) when they face Western New Mexico starting at 10 a.m. Live video and stats will be available for the match.
