No. 11 Mustangs Split Home Opener Matches Friday

Friday, March 11

San Luis Obispo, Calif.

4 P.M.

San Jose State

Photo by: Kyle Calzia / Cal Poly Athletics

No. 11 Mustangs Split Home Opener Matches Friday

3/11/2022 9:36:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Playing its first home matches of the 2022 season at Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex Friday, the Cal Poly beach volleyball team split its two matches, beating San Jose State in the afternoon, 3-2, before falling in the evening to No. 6 Loyola Marymount, 3-2. In the home opener in front of over 1,000 fans, Cal Poly's No. 3 duo of freshman Peyton Dueck and graduate transfer Addison Hermstad put the No. 11 Mustangs on the board first against the Spartans with a 21-12, 21-10 win over Mia Schafer and Amethyst Harper. Cal Poly's No. 1 pairing of redshirt senior Tia Miric and freshman Ella Connor put the Mustangs ahead 2-0 after a 21-12, 21-13 victory over Siena Brewster and Abby Alvarez.

Jayelin Lombard vs. San Jose State 3-11-22 — **Jayelin Lombard dives for a ball against San Jose State**

Later on after San Jose State won at the No. 5 spot to make it 2-1, the Mustangs' No. 2 duo of redshirt junior Jayelin Lombard and freshman Piper Ferch clinched the dual for Cal Poly with a 21-18, 21-8 win over Haylee Nelson and Jaida Ward. -------------- In the nightcap against the No. 6 Lions, LMU's No. 2 pair of Marine Kinna and Avery Poppinga took the first point of the match 21-18, 21-15 over Ferch and Lombard. LMU went up 2-0 after their No. 4 pair of Vilhelmiina Prihti and former Cal Poly standout Macy Gordon beat the Mustangs' Vanessa Roscoe and Josie Ulrich 21-19, 21-13. The Lions clinched the dual after the No. 5 duo of Jacinda Ramirez and Isabelle Reffel won 21-16, 21-17 over redshirt juniors Eleonore Johansen and Kalee Graff.

Peyton Dueck vs. LMU 3-11-22 — **Peyton Dueck swings against No. 6 LMU**

However, Cal Poly then picked up wins in comeback fashion at No. 3 and No. 1 spots. The No. 3 pair of Dueck and Hermstad took down LMU's Abbey Thorup and Selina Marolf 17-21, 21-18, 15-10. They are now 3-1 together as a duo this season. The No. 1 tandem of Miric and Connor also came back after dropping the first set to defeat Reka Orsi Toth and Megan Rice 16-21, 22-20, 15-12 to earn Cal Poly its second point. Miric and Connor are a team-best 6-4 so far this year, all from the No. 1 spot. Cal Poly will have another pair of home matches Saturday when they take on Washington at 10:30 and Arizona State at 1 p.m.

Photos courtesy of Kyle Calzia & Owen Main