The Cal Poly beach volleyball team beat Arizona State University (ASU), Texas Christian University (TCU) and Tulane all 4-1 this past weekend at the Fort Tournament hosted by TCU.
These three wins moved them up to No. 6 in this week’s American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) rankings, the highest ranking in program history. The Mustangs are now 7-2 in the season with one of their losses coming from the University of Southern California, the number one team in the nation.
Sophomore Emily Sonny and junior Samantha Manley continued their undefeated streak to move to 9-0 this season. Saturday, the pair dominated their match against the Sun Devils’ Kara Woodard and Halle Harker in two sets, 21-7, 21-8.
In their second match, the Horned Frogs’ pair Jillian Bergeson and Jaelyn Greene put up more of a fight, but Sonny and Manley defeated them in straight sets as well. Against Tulane, Sonny and Manley were pushed to a third set and ended up winning their match.
Sonny and Manley’s stellar play earned them multiple accolades, as the duo was awarded the Big West and AVCA Pair of the Week.
Sophomore Heather Pembroke and freshman Macy Gordon also remained undefeated this past weekend. In their first match Saturday, Pembroke and Gordon beat ASU’s Samantha Plaster and Kate Baldwin in three sets.
In their match against TCU’s Brooke Sassin and Jordan Westendorff, Pembroke and Gordon won in three sets again. In their final match of the weekend, the duo played at the number five position and won in straight sets.
Senior Taylor Nelson returned to the court to be reunited with her doubles partner from last season, junior Adlee Van Winden. The pair won all three of their sets over the weekend from the No. 3 position without ever having to play a third set.
Cal Poly will travel to Santa Cruz Saturday to play three matches. Their opponents will be Pacific, San Francisco and Portland. Their first game will begin at 8 a.m.