The No. 20 Cal Poly volleyball team made program history in thrilling fashion Saturday evening, moving to 3-0 in Big West Conference play for the first time by virtue of a 30-20, 30-19, 20-30, 35-37, 17-15 win against Long Beach State at Walter Pyramid.
Cal Poly fought off two match points (14-12, 14-13) to tie the fifth set at 14-14 after a 49ers attack error and won the game, 17-15, on a block by Jaclyn Houston.
The last time Cal Poly won its first three conference games was 1985, when, as member of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association, the Mustangs defeated UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State en route to a 7-0 start.
Cal Poly used a .378 attack percentage and six total team blocks to come away with a 30-20 victory in game No. 1. The Mustangs jumped out to a 4-1 lead after a kill by sophomore outside hitter Alicia Waller.
Cal Poly pushed its lead to 17-10 after a Kylie Atherstone kill and held its biggest lead at 28-16 after a 49ers attack error. The Mustangs held LBSU to a .054 hitting percentage.
The Mustangs continued to pour it on offensively, registering a .469 attack percentage en route to a 30-19 game No. 2 victory.
Waller tallied six kills for the second consecutive set. The 49ers kept it close in the game before Cal Poly widened the scoring gap to 16-10 after a kill from Atherstone.
Long Beach State pulled to within 23-16 after a Mariko Crum kill, before Cal Poly closed out LBSU with a 7-3 run.
Long Beach State prevented a sweep and stayed alive with a 30-20 game No. 3 victory.
The 49ers quickly increased their lead to 20-9 on a Dyanne Lawlor kill.
The 49ers fought to stay alive in the match and forced a fifth and deciding game with a 37-35 game No. 4 victory.
Long Beach State fought off three match points and eventually tied the game at 35-35 after a Cal Poly attack error.
A second consecutive attack error, followed by a Michaela Hasalikova kill, proved true for LBSU to cap off the victory in the fourth game.
The Mustangs out-blocked LBSU, 23-9.
Waller and Atherstone paced all players with 25 and 23 kills, respectively. Junior setter Chelsea Hayes recorded 63 assists and libero Kristin Jackson led four Mustangs in double-digit digs with 24.
Cal Poly begins a three-match home stand at 7 p.m. Friday against UC?Riverside in Mott Gym.
The Mustangs have played one of their first 15 matches at home.