Mustangs’ Run Cut Short by Long Beach State in Big West Championship Final

Saturday, April 22

Honolulu, HI

1:30 P.M.

UC Davis

Mustangs’ Run Cut Short by Long Beach State in Big West Championship Final

4/22/2023 7:05:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

HONOLULU — Heading into the Big West Championships as the No. 5 seed, Cal Poly beach volleyball made a run Saturday all the way to championship match but saw its quest for a fourth consecutive Big West title come up just short as the Mustangs fell to No. 11 Long Beach State 4-1 in the title match. The Mustangs (15-25) are the lowest seed in the history of the Big West to make it to the championship match. Winners of the Big West the last three years, it was No. 11 Long Beach State cutting their bid for a fourth straight title short as the Beach won their program's first conference title. Cal Poly came all the way out of the elimination side of the bracket Saturday to reach the finals. They started the day by beating third-seeded UC Davis 4-1 to advance to the elimination bracket finals. There, they upset the host in top-seeded No. 8 Hawai'i with a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory to advance to the finals against the Beach. Playing its third consecutive match of the day, the Mustangs fell to LBSU 4-1. Against UC Davis, the Aggies got on the board first with a win at the No. 5 spot. The Mustangs then went on to win at all four of the remaining courts, with three of them going to a third set to win the match 4-1. Facing No. 8 Hawai'i for the third time this season, Cal Poly had to recover from a 2-1 deficit to come back and win it. The Rainbow Wahine scored the first point after winning at the No. 5 spot. The Mustangs' No. 4 pairing of freshman Emma Zuffelato and senior Kalee Graff then got Cal Poly on the board with a win. Hawai'i went ahead 2-1 after their No. 1 pair picked up a victory before the Mustangs' No. 2 duo of freshman Izzy Martinez and sophomore Piper Ferch evened things up after winning in three sets, 21-18, 15-21, 15-9. It was then Cal Poly's most reliable pair this season in senior Delaney Peranich and graduate student Brooke Golik at the No. 3 spot coming back after dropping the first set to win the next two and send the Mustangs to the championship match. Playing its third match in a row without a break, Cal Poly needed to beat Long Beach State twice in order to win the title. Against a rested Long Beach State team who beat Hawai'i in the semifinals to advance to the championship, the Beach won at the No. 5, 2, 1, and 4 spots to clinch the victory. Cal Poly's No. 3 pair of Peranich and Golik did finish the match off with a victory to finish the Big West Championships with a 5-1 record and finish the season with a team-best 21-9 record this year. Cal Poly finishes 2023 with a 15-25 record but did make it to the Big West Championships for a fourth consecutive season. Beach Volleyball Match Results Cal Poly vs UC Davis Apr 22, 2023 at Honolulu, Hawaii (Queens Beach) Cal Poly 4, UC Davis 1 1. Jayelin Lombard/Piper Naess (CP) def. Colleen McGuire/Kylie Miller (UCD) 16-21, 21-9, 15-13 2. Piper Ferch/Izzy Martinez (CP) def. Mia Olen/Megan Luly (UCD) 21-18, 21-17 3. Delaney Peranich/Brooke Golik (CP) def. Tabitha Mitchell/Julia Bodor (UCD) 21-6, 19-21, 15-2 4. Emma Zuffelato/Kalee Graff (CP) def. Isabelle Comes/Alicia Letvin (UCD) 21-19, 19-21, 16-14 5. Morgan Coolbaugh/Sam Lazenby (UCD) def. Susie Lloyd/Margo Smith (CP) 21-17, 21-15 Beach Volleyball Match Results Cal Poly vs Hawai'i Apr 22, 2023 at Honolulu, Hawaii (Queens Beach) Cal Poly 3, #8 Hawai'i 2 1. Brooke Van Sickle/Kaylee Glagau (UH) def. Piper Naess/Jayelin Lombard (CP) 21-16, 21-17 2. Piper Ferch/Izzy Martinez (CP) def. Kylin Loker/Riley Wagoner (UH) 21-18, 15-21, 15-9 3. Delaney Peranich/Brooke Golik (CP) def. Jaime Santer/Ilihia Huddleston (UH) 18-21, 21-19, 15-12 4. Emma Zuffelato/Kalee Graff (CP) def. Lea Kruse/Sarah Burton (UH) 21-18, 21-19 5. Sydney Miller/Chandler Cowell (UH) def. Susie Lloyd/Margo Smith (CP) 21-7, 21-16 Beach Volleyball Match Results Long Beach State vs Cal Poly Apr 22, 2023 at Honolulu, Hawaii (Queens Beach) #11 Long Beach State 4, Cal Poly 1 1. Malia Gementara/Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Piper Naess/Jayelin Lombard (CP) 21-19, 21-14 2. Sydney Stevens/Julia Westby (LBSU) def. Piper Ferch/Izzy Martinez (CP) 21-15, 21-11 3. Brooke Golik/Delaney Peranich (CP) def. Megan Widener/Natalie Glenn (LBSU) 14-21, 23-21, 15-9 4. Maggie Walters/Christine Deroos (LBSU) def. Emma Zuffelato/Kalee Graff (CP) 21-14, 21-16 5. Mari Molina/Emily Mattoon (LBSU) def. Susie Lloyd/Margo Smith (CP) 21-14, 21-12