San Luis Obispo, Calif. – The Cal Poly women’s volleyball team continued its impressive conference run on Saturday, defeating UC San Diego 25-21, 25-23, 25-14 at LionTree Arena. The victory lifted the Mustangs to a 16-6 overall record and an unbeaten 12-0 mark in Big West play, extending their win streak to 12 matches.
Dominant performance across the board
Cal Poly controlled the first set from the start, pulling ahead late to close it 25-21 after a 20-20 tie. The second set proved tighter, with five ties and two lead changes before the Mustangs secured a 25-23 win. In the third set, the Mustangs broke away early, turning a 9-6 edge into a 25-14 finish.
The team hit .298 with 43 kills on 104 swings, committing just 12 errors. UC San Diego was held to a .085 clip, managing 34 kills on 118 attempts. The net was a decisive factor, as Cal Poly recorded 15 total blocks – the most in a single match this season and the highest since a 17‑block effort at VCU in September 2023.
Individual standouts included Leluge, who tallied nine block assists, and Pulling, who added six total blocks (one solo, five assists). Alexis Haury posted a double‑double with 34 assists and 12 digs, while Fredrick led the scoring with a match‑high 18 kills on .378 hitting and contributed four digs. Fredrick’s weekend total reached 35 kills, averaging 5.00 per set.
Key contributors and upcoming challenges
Beshear added 17 kills against the Tritons, and Noe Vanacht recorded a career‑best 10 digs on Saturday after an 12‑dig performance Friday. Pulling chipped in 10 kills and six blocks over the road trip. The Mustangs now sit three games ahead of second‑place Long Beach State (10-2) and hold the head‑to‑head tiebreaker, positioning them for the top seed in the Big West Championship.
Cal Poly can clinch its spot in the championship field with a win over Long Beach State next Friday at the Mott Athletics Center. The team will host Long Beach State and later Cal State Fullerton before traveling to face Utah Valley and Sacramento State the following weekend.
Historical context and future goals
This marks only the second time in program history that Cal Poly has recorded at least 12 straight conference wins. The 12‑win stretch is the best start in Big West play since the 2017 season, when the Mustangs posted a perfect 16‑0 conference record.
The Big West record for conference wins in a season stands at 19‑1, set by Hawai’i in 2022. While several teams have enjoyed unbeaten conference runs, the Mustangs are now chasing the coveted 18‑0 mark, a feat achieved only six times in league history.
In related conference action, the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos also secured a sweep, defeating UC Irvine 3-0 to improve to 8-4 in the conference. The Gauchos will host Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State later this week.
Both Cal Poly and UCSB continue to showcase the strength of women’s volleyball in the region, providing local fans with high‑level competition and reinforcing the Big West’s reputation as a premier collegiate volleyball conference.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
