By Gavin Claiborne, Oct. 8, 2024
Cal Poly Pomona women’s volleyball team earned two sweeps over the defending national champions Cal State LA and the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros on the road to remain undefeated in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.
The No. 11 ranked Broncos traveled to the Torodome for an afternoon matchup against CSUDH. CPP exhausted the Toros in three straight sets at an efficient .283 team hitting percentage.
Senior outside hitter Samantha Campion finished the game with 12 kills on a .579 hitting percentage and posed a threat on defense with 20 digs — marking her fifth double-double of the season and a dig shy of her season-high 21 digs.
“One thing that we really like to reiterate to each other is that it’s going to be a team win,” said Samantha Campion. “Someone’s going to step up to the plate, and it’s not going to be the same players every single night, but that just proves the depth that we have on this team this season.”
Reigning CCAA Setter of the Week Caitie Mueller registered 34 assists, and sophomore outside hitter Sarah Ybarra contributed on offense with 12 kills.
The Toros held the Broncos close in the first set, putting up 10 kills on a .209 hitting percentage as a team before falling to CPP 25-18.
“Going to Dominguez, they’re always going to be a really scrappy team,” said CPP volleyball head coach Traci Dahl. “But I thought after we kind of figured them out, we were fine. We just played our volleyball game.”
Junior outside hitter Ava Hurry and freshman opposite hitter Fallon Freeman led CSUDH with six kills each, and junior setter Bailey Fuches led the team in digs with 11.
Senior outside hitter Madison Novak had a total of nine kills and nine digs mid-way through the third set, before an undisclosed injury prevented her from competing further.
Novak ranked second on the team in kills per set with 3.20 and third in digs with 2.51 per set this season.
Redshirt freshman outside hitter Landen Allison-Bullock replaced Novak, contributing one kill and a block to close out the match 25-12.
The second matchup saw CPP face the reigning NCAA Division II champion and No. 17 ranked Cal State LA on the Golden Eagles home court.
The Broncos registered a team-high 14 service aces to the Golden Eagles two service aces: Ybarra set both a career-high and season-high four aces while Mueller and libero Avery Percival set season-highs with four and three respectively.
Ybarra led the offense with 15 kills at a .400 hitting percentage and Campion rounded out the players with double-digit kills with 11.
CPP held Cal State LA’s right-side hitter Emily Elliot and former CCAA Player of the Year to a season-low 14 kills, out attacking the Golden Eagles 44 to 29 in a dominant sweep.
Sophomore outside hitter Charlotte Koerber stepped up in place of Novak, contributing eight kills and seven digs on an efficient .300 hitting percentage.
Koerber said she prepared to go against the Golden Eagles by watching the opponent’s film and staying attentive during practice.
“I made sure that I was in a good head space right before warmups, and I knew that if I trust myself the way the whole team trusts each other I would do great,” Koerber said.
Dahl recognized her team remained poised, beating both teams three sets straight and taking care of business one game at a time.
Although the Broncos’ success was accomplished in a team effort, Dahl credited the Broncos captain Campion for her two-way style of play as a key contributor for the team’s back-to-back wins.
“The load was a little bit more on Sammy this weekend in the offensive category, but not only did she produce in the offensive category, but she also produced in the defensive category as well,” said Dahl.
The Broncos extended their six-game win streak, improving to 10-1 overall and 4-0 in CCAA play as the only undefeated team in the conference.
Despite any adversities the Broncos may face further on in the season, Campion said the key to the team’s success is playing with confidence.
“There’s going to be teams that are going to give us their best games every single night, and we’re ready for that,” Campion said. “We’re going to give you our best game every night, so you’re going to have to beat us to win.”
Photos courtesy of CPP Athletics
