POMONA, Calif. – In the program's best start since the 2008 season, the Cal Poly Pomona women's volleyball team topped Cal State Monterey Bay 3-1 on Saturday thus improving their season record to 8-5, with a 4-1 mark in conference play.
 
The 4-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) also ties the Green and Gold's conference start for the 2008 season. Kellogg Arena was abuzz as 417 fans came out to watch the Broncos take on the Otters of CSUMB.
 
The first set of the afternoon, which would prove to be the closest between the two teams, saw the hometown Broncos win in extra points, pulling ahead 27-25. The visitors received the first point as the CPP offense made an attack error. From the start of the set, however, the two squads battled back-and forth. A total of 17 ties and nine lead changes occurred in the match and at no point was either squad able to string together more than three consecutive points.
 
 With the score at 25-25, Nicoletta Stork recorded a kill (one of 14 in the match) and a Christen Williams and Hannah Harrer block gave the Green and Gold the final two points needed. The set went to the Broncos 27-25.
 
In the second set, the CPP squad immediately jumped out front and steadily increased their lead. A five point spree by the Broncos put them ahead by seven, and another couple points gave them their biggest lead of the set at 14-6.

The Monterey Bay native Otters pushed back a bit, but the Broncos kept the lead throughout the remainder of the set, only allowing CSUMB to get three points back at the closest. CPP won 25-20 and entered the intermission leading the match 2-0.
 
After the break, some new life began to show in the Otters as they opened the third set on a 5-2 run. The Broncos managed to tie things up at 9-9, but the Navy and Gold clad Otters left the Broncos in the dust as they put together seven-straight points.
 
The hole that the Broncos were left in proved to be too difficult to climb out of and the CSUMB team took the third set 25-17.
 
The fourth and final set saw the Broncos go on a couple of runs to top the Nor-Cal opponents 25-16. Early in the match the Otters did lead 7-5 and again at 12-11, but a four-pointer for the Green and Gold fueled by two Deanna Blaine kills pushed the Broncos into the lead.

The lead would be enough to hold the Broncos through the remainder of the match and another point streak, this time five-straight cut off any momentum the Otters may have been gaining. An Andrea Bosnic kill and a bad set for the Otters off of a Samantha Figueroa serve provided the Green and Gold with the final two points of the match.
 
Zoe Herrera, with 25 digs in the match was by far the match's defense standout. Blaine and Stork both provided the Broncos with double-digit kills, posting 15 and 14 respectively. Both Williams and Kristen Hamlin added four blocks to the contest.
 
The Broncos will return to action on Tuesday as they head to Carson to challenge the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros. The match is set for 7 p.m. CSUDH has secured a 3-10 overall record thus far in 2015, complete with a 1-4 mark in conference play. They will play the UC San Diego Tritons at 7 p.m. on Saturday night before hosting the Broncos Tuesday.