Cal Poly Pomona Athletics

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Cal Poly Pomona opened its 2026 season with a 3-0 victory over Vanguard at Coussoulis Arena. The Broncos prevailed 25-22, 25-14, and 25-12 while hitting .419 as a team, a mark that would've been the third-best of last season.
 
Charlotte Koerber led CPP with 13 kills on a .579 hitting percentage, adding eight digs and a team-leading three service aces. Sarah Ybarra supplied 10 kills while hitting .600, along with six digs, three block assists and two aces. Redshirt freshman Addi Knight finished with six kills on .500 hitting and three block assists, while Lexi Zammit directed the offense with 28 assists. Senior Renee Nachtigall recorded six digs as CPP limited Vanguard to a .145 attack percentage.
 
The opening set featured 10 ties and five lead changes. Trailing 20-19, the Broncos closed on a 6-2 run. Ybarra produced three kills during the surge, including the set winner, while Nachtigall and Knight delivered consecutive kills to create set point.
 
CPP seized control early in the second, turning a 3-1 edge into a 10-2 advantage with a 7-1 run that included two blocks and kills from Koerber, Ybarra and Knight. The Broncos later stretched the margin to 20-7 before Zammit sealed the frame with an ace.
 
After Vanguard scored first in the third, CPP answered with a 14-3 run. Koerber totaled five kills and two aces during the decisive stretch, helping the Broncos hit .706 in the set with 14 kills and only two errors. Elle Walker capped the sweep with her sixth kill of the match.
 
 
Up Next
The Broncos will take on Seattle Pacific at 12:00 PM tomorrow in Coussoulis Arena, followed by a 5:00 PM match against Westmont in The Den.
 
 
Bronco Bits

• The Broncos are now 6-0 all-time against Vanguard, with Thursday marking their first match against the Lions since 2002.
• Traci Dahl is now 122-45 (.731) as head coach of the Broncos.
• Now in its 46th season, CPP Volleyball is 843-553 (.604) all-time with a 211-140 (.601) record in neutral matches.
• Cal Poly Pomona is an impressive 29-7 in non-conference regular season matches since the start of the 2021 season.
• The Broncos are 27-16 in season openers since 1983.
• Rachel Mau, Keira Limbrick, Bronwyn Rowse, Hadassah Makama, and Paige Bowyer each saw the court for the first time as a Bronco on Thursday afternoon.