Mustangs Split Pair of Matches at Final Day of Arizona Invitational

Saturday, March 18

Tucson, AZ

10 A.M.

University of Southern Mississippi

Photo by: Owen Main | Cal Poly Athletics

Mustangs Split Pair of Matches at Final Day of Arizona Invitational

3/18/2023 5:34:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

TUCSON, Ariz. — Cal Poly beach volleyball split its final two matches of the Arizona Invitational Saturday in Tucson, sweeping Southern Mississippi 5-0 and falling to No. 17 Arizona 4-1.

The Mustangs (5-13) finished the weekend in Arizona with a 3-1 record after collecting a pair of victories Friday over Texas A&M Corpus Chrisi and Arizona Christian.

Against the Golden Eagles to begin the day, Cal Poly's No. 3 pair of senior Delaney Peranich and graduate student Brooke Golik got the Mustangs on the board first after winning 21-16, 21-8. After that, it was the No. 4 duo of senior Kalee Graff and freshman Marina Warren getting a 21-17, 21-19 win together.

It was the No. 5 tandem of junior Julia Soeller and freshman Emma Zuffelato who clinched the dual for the Mustangs after they won in straight sets 21-13, 21-15. In that match, Zuffelato had a stretch in which she had five straight aces to close a set.

Also collecting wins in the dual were the No. 1 pair of sophomore Piper Ferch and freshman Izzy Martinez in three sets 21-14, 19-21, 15-9 as well as the No. 2 duo of senior Jayelin Lombard and junior Piper Naess 21-17, 23-25, 15-11.

Against the No. 17 Wildcats, Cal Poly used the same five pairings as the Southern Miss match with the exception of swapping spots of the fours and the fives. Despite tough battles by the Mustangs, Arizona started off the dual with wins at the No. 4 and No. 2 spots to take a 2-0 lead.

The Cal Poly duo of Peranich and Golik got the Mustangs on the board after winning at the No. 3 spot in straight sets, 21-19, 21-13. They are now 5-3 together this season and have won three straight matches.

However, Arizona then won tight matches at the No. 1 and No. 5 spots to clinch their 4-1 victory.

The Mustangs will now get to play at home the next two weekends. They will host all the teams in the Big West March 25-26 at Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex. They will face Sacramento State Saturday, March 25 at 9 a.m., No. 9 Hawai'i at 3 p.m., and No. 13 Long Beach State at 6 p.m. Then Sunday, March 26 they will take on CSU Bakersfield at 9 a.m., UC Davis at 12 p.m. and CSUN at 4 p.m.