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Cal Poly Pomona Athletics

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Team at UC Merced
Cyrus Chiang
3
Winner Cal Poly Pomona F-91 20-4,10-2 CCAA
2
UC Merced F-30266 5-18,2-10 CCAA
Winner
Cal Poly Pomona F-91
20-4,10-2 CCAA
3
Final
2
UC Merced F-30266
5-18,2-10 CCAA
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Cal Poly Pomona F-91 24 25 25 26 15 (3)
UC Merced F-30266 26 14 12 28 11 (2)

Game Recap: Volleyball | | Alex Kline, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications

Broncos Rally Past UC Merced in Five-Set Thriller

MERCED, Calif. - Cal Poly Pomona rallied from an opening-set setback to defeat UC Merced, 24-26, 25-14, 25-12, 26-28, 15-11, Friday night at Greg and Cathie Hostetler Court. The Broncos improved to 20-4 overall and 10-2 in CCAA play, while the Bobcats fell to 5-18 overall and 2-10 in conference action.
 
Sarah Ybarra led the Broncos with a match-high 21 kills while hitting .375. She added five digs, two service aces, and a team-best 26 points. Elle Walker contributed 15 kills, while Alexia Athans recorded 11 kills on a .389 hitting percentage. Charlotte Koerber added nine kills and 12 digs to surpass the 1,000 career-kill mark, and Paige Bowyer logged a career-high 51 assists.
 
After dropping a tightly contested opening set, Cal Poly Pomona responded with its most efficient offensive performance of the night. The Broncos hit .526 in the second set and used a pivotal 7-0 run to turn a 5-4 advantage into a 12-4 lead. Bowyer delivered back-to-back service aces during the run, while Ybarra and Addi Knight helped fuel the defensive effort at the net.
 
CPP carried that momentum into the third set, scoring the first two points and later using a 6-0 run to build a 20-10 lead. Lilinoe Spencer sparked the stretch with three consecutive service aces, and the Broncos finished the set with 14 kills while holding UC Merced to just four kills and a .042 hitting percentage.
 
The Bobcats answered in the fourth set, overcoming a late CPP rally to force a deciding frame. Cal Poly Pomona trailed 20-16 before scoring five of the next seven points to bring it within one. The Broncos later reached set point at 24-23 following a Rachel Mau service ace, but UC Merced held on to win, 28-26.
 
In the fifth set, CPP established control early. Ybarra and Athans recorded consecutive kills to help the Broncos take a 4-1 lead, and Ybarra added another kill to make it 6-2. UC Merced later tied the set at 10-10, but the Broncos answered with five of the final six points. Ybarra delivered two kills during the decisive stretch, Knight contributed a block, and Ybarra appropriately closed out the win with her 21st kill.
 
Cal Poly Pomona finished with a .328 team hitting percentage, 66 kills, 50 digs, and 10 total blocks. Keira Limbrick paced the defensive effort with 14 digs, while Spencer added five service aces and six digs.
 
 
Up Next
The Broncos will close out the regular season on Saturday against undefeated Fresno Pacific at 1:00 PM.
 
Bronco Bits
  • The Broncos are now 2-0 all-time against UC Merced.
  • Traci Dahl is now 141-49 (.742) as head coach of the Broncos, including 92-27 (.773) in CCAA matches.
  • Since the start of the 2024 season, the Broncos are an incredible 44-4 in conference matches.
  • Now in its 46th season, CPP Volleyball is 862-557 (.607) all-time.
  • This is the first time in program history the team has been 20-4 through their first 24 games. The best record in that span is 22-2, set in both 2005 and 2024.
  • Charlotte Koerber recorded her 1,000th collegiate kill on Friday. She now has over 1,000 kills and digs in her career.
  • Alexia Zammit remains 22 assists away from reaching 1,000 in her collegiate career.