The Cal Poly beach volleyball team dropped matches against three opponents on Saturday in Santa Cruz, Calif., including Big West Conference competitor CSUN.
Cal Poly lost 4-1 against Santa Clara, 4-1 against CSUN, and finishing with a 3-2 loss to No. 13 San Francisco. The weekend dropped the team’s record to 4-9.
The Mustangs opened the weekend against Santa Clara after winning two matches last weekend. Santa Clara stamped its victory over Cal Poly by recording victories in the first three games of the five-game match. The Broncos trotted toward a victory in the fourth game, but the Mustangs did manage to take the second set, sending the game into a 15-point third set. The Mustangs geared up to finish the match with a victory in the two-set victory in the fifth game, winning 22-20 and 21-18.
Cal Poly began its second match against CSUN hoping to gain ranking over a Big West Conference opponent. After dropping the first game, it looked as if the Mustangs may see the same fate of their first game.
A victory in the second game by junior Anna Gorman and sophomore Raeann Greisen gave what was initially perceived as momentum for the Mustangs. Their momentum was stopped quickly as the Matadors rumbled to three straight victories, winning the match 4-1.
After losing its first two matches of the day, Cal Poly then faced No. 13 San Francisco. There was only one difference in this match: The drive to upset a ranked opponent. The Mustangs advanced toward a victory in the first game from sophomore Taylor Nelson and freshman Adlee Van Winden. But the Dons showed up for an old-fashioned shootout.
San Francisco and Cal Poly swapped the first four games which lead to a final tie-breaker game between the Dons’ Jessica Keenan and Kim Gutierrez and the Mustangs’ senior Megan Wagner and sophomore Clare Holehouse.
The Dons proved their No. 13 ranking by cruising to victory in the fifth game in only two sets, 21-13 and 21-14.
The Mustangs are now 4-9 overall and play Saturday at Sacramento State at 9 a.m. They will also play Boise State on Saturday in Sacramento at 12 p.m.