Although senior libero Kristin Jackson broke Big West Conference career digs record Friday evening, the No. 14 Cal Poly volleyball squad (6-6) could not pull out a victory against Xavier as they lost 30-27, 26-30, 23-30, 30-28, 15-6 at the ASICS/Coca-Cola Invitational, hosted by San Francisco at War Memorial Gym.
Jackson has appeared in all 344 of Poly’s games since she arrived on campus in 2004 and she grabbed the Cal Poly record for total digs Sept. 8 against Saint Mary’s. After this weekend, she now has 1,715 total career digs, four more than former record-holder Kristen Nelson of UC Santa Barbara.
With just 285 more digs, Jackson will become one of 24 players in NCAA Division I history to reach the 2,000-dig mark.
Ali Waller, junior outside hitter, scorched a contest-best 22 kills Friday and opposite Kylie Atherstone added 17 for Cal Poly. Despite these efforts, the Mustangs, who held late 25-23 advantage in the first game, could not stop a 7-2 Musketeer run to end the game.
The Mustangs went on to win the next two games but lost the fourth, although they came within a single point four times.
The Musketeers closed out the match as an early 6-1 advantage led to a victory.
Poly resumed action the following day with their only double-header of the season. The Mustangs lost 18-30, 30-28, 30-27, 30-21 to Sacramento State but they bounced back to defeat host Univeristy of San Francisco 30-28, 30-17, 34-36, 30-25.
The Mustangs dominated the first game of their first match, with a .519 hitting percentage but they failed to replicate this performance in the three following games. Cal Poly held a lead just three times in the final two games.
Atherstone punched out a team-high 19 kills, outside hitter Ali Waller added 13 and sophomore Gaby Rivera threw in 11.
Poly proved a much more dominant force in match No. 2 of the double-header as five players boasted double-digit figures in kills. Atherstone had a team-best 19, Rivera posted a career-best 13 and freshman Dominique Olowolafe added a career high 10.
Game No. 1 switched leads five times but Poly claimed four of the last five points to pull out a win.
The Mustangs won game No. 2 with a series of runs, including a 10-4 run to close.
The Dons pulled out a win in the third game to avoid a sweep, as they battled four lead changes and 18 ties.
Poly did not lead by more than one point in the fourth game until Atherstone threw down a kill to give the squad a 24-22 advantage.
Waller closed out the match with 14 kills. Jackson, who was named to the all-tournament team, posted 34 digs against Sacramento State and 32 against USF; her career total now sits at 1,781.
Poly’s first home game of the season is on Sept. 21 against Long Beach State at 7 p.m. This will open Big West play as the Mustangs try to defend their 2006 conference title.