Lauren RabainoThe Cal Poly women’s volleyball team had an opportunity to take back command of the Big West Conference when it entered Mott Gym on Saturday night.
The Mustangs had lost two conference contests in a row, but were just a match behind Big West-leading Long Beach State, the night’s opponent.
But they lost in five sets to the 49ers for the second time this season, and fell two matches out of first place with four Big West opportunities left.
The loss left the Mustangs in danger of not winning the conference and perhaps missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years.
“We have to know our situation,” Mustangs head coach Jon Stevenson said. “The old cliché is apropos – our backs are against the wall. We must win out.”
In defeat, the Mustangs (13-10, 8-4) outhit and outblocked the 49ers, and also tallied more aces, digs and assists.
“We were crushed by that loss,” Stevenson said. “It was just horrible.”
Still, though, Stevenson said, there are scenarios through which the Mustangs could be an NCAA Tournament team even if they don’t sweep the remainder of their schedule – which concludes with two matches at No. 6 Hawaii on Nov. 26 and Nov. 28.
“(But) that’s obviously not how we’re looking at it,” Stevenson said.
The Mustangs visit UC Santa Barbara (10-13, 6-6) at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Senior night will be against UC Riverside (8-19, 3-9) at 7 p.m. Saturday in Mott Gym.
“It’s absolutely feasible that they could go out with a huge success story,” Stevenson said. “They could do justice to the champions that they’ve been by winning the next four matches and then doing a good job in Hawaii, defeating a top-ranked team, and then going into the tournament with a head of steam and playing the kind of volleyball we know we’re capable of playing. That’s all we can plan on doing.”