Senior outside hitter Chelsea Hardin led the Cal Poly volleyball team with nine kills in a three-set loss to No. 5 Hawaii on Saturday. The Honolulu native also leads the team with 186 kills on the season.
Mustang News Staff Report
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The shores of Honolulu provided no tranquility for Cal Poly on Saturday.
No. 5 Hawaii lived up to its ranking, efficiently sweeping the Cal Poly volleyball team in a Big West Conference match that lasted only 1 hour and 16 minutes.
The Mustangs faded throughout the night, as Hawaii sailed to 25-17, 25-16 and 25-13 set victories. Cal Poly now sits at an even 2-2 record in the Big West, with an 8-9 overall record.
Senior Jennifer Keddy tallied a team-best two blocks while libero Steffi Sooter continued her dig dominance, recording five on the night.
Outside hitter Chelsea Hardin, a Honolulu native, led Cal Poly with nine kills on her home turf. The senior has been a vital offensive component for Cal Poly this year, averaging 3.15 kills per set.
Hardin is four spots behind Hawaii’s Emily Hartong in that category. An AVCA First Team All-American and Big West Player of the Year in 2012, Hartong led the Rainbow Wahine with 11 kills Saturday night.
But Cal Poly is no stranger to national powerhouses. The Mustangs trudged through a brutal nonconference schedule this season, facing and losing to No. 13 Colorado State, No. 8 Stanford and No. 16 Arizona State on the road this year.
The Mustangs will have their hands full again with more Big West play next weekend, hosting conference-undefeated Cal State Northridge on Saturday following a match with UC Davis on Friday.
UC Davis sports a 2-3 Big West record, while Cal State Northridge remains the only unbeaten team in the conference. The Matadors sit atop the Big West with a perfect 5-0 record.
Cal Poly remains undefeated this season in Mott Athletics Center, having beaten UC Irvine and Long Beach State to open conference play.
The Mustangs need one more Big West victory to at least tie last season’s three-win record.
They’ll look improve on the ninth-place finish at 7 p.m. Friday evening against UC Davis.
Jacob Lauing contributed to this report.