News/Results

Francis Earns All-Region Honors
Cal Poly Pomona’s outside hitter receives volleyball recognition

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- For the third straight year, a Cal Poly Pomona women’s volleyball player has earned All-Pacific Region honors.

Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS), an outside hitter on Cal Poly Pomona’s successful women’s volleyball team, was named to the 12-player All-Pacific Region team, announced Tuesday by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Francis helped the Broncos record an 18-12 overall record and qualify for the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time since 1997.

Francis led the Broncos with 439 kills and averaged a team-high 3.82 kills per game. She was also second on the team in digs with 239. Francis also contributed 13 service aces and 66 blocks.

She follows teammates Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) and Lindsay Fischer in earning All-Region recognition. Anderson received first-team honors in 2003 and Fischer got honorable mention in 2002.

Last week, Francis was one of three Cal Poly Pomona players to earn All-CCAA honors. Anderson received first-team All-CCAA recognition, while Francis and Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) made the second team.

Ironically, this is the second straight year a player from Cal Poly Pomona received second-team All-CCAA honors and was then named to the All-Pacific Region team. It happened with Anderson last year. Anderson went on to earn All-America honorable mention from the AVCA.

Cal Poly Pomona finished up one of its most successful seasons in several years. The Broncos finished with a 12-6 mark in the CCAA and wound up in a tie for third, which is Cal Poly Pomona’s best finish since the conference expanded in 1998.

The Broncos also swept rivals Cal State Bakersfield and Cal State L.A. in the same season for the first time since 1986.

Cal Poly Pomona qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time since 1997 and achieved an 18-win season for the third straight year and for the fifth time in the past six seasons.

Broncos Come Up Short In Playoff Return
Cal Poly Pomona falls to CS San Bernardino

LA JOLLA – The Cal Poly Pomona women’s volleyball team returned to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time since 1997, but the experience wasn’t quite what the Broncos were hoping for.

The No. 7 seed Broncos gave No. 2 Cal State San Bernardino all it could handle in all three games, but the Coyotes came up big when it counted and beat Cal Poly Pomona, 30-20, 30-28, 30-23 Thursday in an NCAA Division II Pacific Region match at the RIMAC Arena at UC San Diego.

Cal Poly Pomona had its best chance at extending the match in the second game, leading for most of the latter stages before falling, 30-28. The first and third game were also hotly contested until the Coyotes made late runs.

Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had 11 kills and 12 digs to lead the Broncos, while Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) and Antoinette Kathol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS) had 10 kills each.

Cal State San Bernardino (25-3), the fifth-ranked team in the NCAA Division II, was led by Brianna Harris, who had a match-high 22 kills and hit at a .415 percentage and Cathleen Price had 11 kills and three blocks.

The Broncos, who received votes in the last AVCA poll, but were not listed in the Top 25, got off to a strong start and were matching the Coyotes point for point through most of Game 1 until the Coyotes took advantage of some Cal Poly Pomona errors late in the game and some powerful hitting from Harris and Price. Harris had five kills in seven attack. Anderson got off to a sensational start in the first game, recording five kills in her first seven attacks.

Kathol gave the Broncos a huge spark in the second game, pounding out five kills and recording three blocks while dominating play at the net. She had five kills in only eight swings in the second game. Francis also got hot, pounding out five kills in the frame on 11 swings.

The Broncos bolted out to a 17-14 lead in the second game, but Cal State San Bernardino went on a 14-5 run to take a 28-22 advantage. Cal Poly Pomona scored five straight points to make it 28-27 and closed to within one point again at 29-28 on a kill by Francis. The Coyotes, though, scored the next point to take the game, 30-28.

The third game was also close with the Broncos pulling to within two points at 22-20 before the Coyotes pulled away at the end. Anderson and Francis had four kills each and Kathol had three while sparking the Broncos’ offense.

Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 25 assists, three kills and two aces for the Broncos. Francis had a team-high 12 digs, while Breezie Jordan (Jr., Ventura, Buena HS) had nine digs.

The result ended the Cal Poly Pomona careers of Megan Meenan (Sr., Hermosa Beach, El Camino College) and Jen Bullock (Sr., Anaheim, Eastern New Mexico), who both played well on Thursday.

The good news is the Broncos return 12 of the 14 players who were on the playoff roster.

The returners will have something the Broncos players haven’t had for awhile.

Playoff experience.

Broncos Represented On All-CCAA Teams
Cal Poly Pomona’s Anderson, Francis and Gordon earn volleyball honors

WALNUT CREEK -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team placed three players on the All-California Collegiate Athletic Association teams announced by the conference on Wednesday.

Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) earned first-team All-CCAA honors for the first time in her Cal Poly Pomona career, while Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) and Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) received second-team honors. Francis and Gordon were honored by the conference for the first time.

This is actually the second All-CCAA honor for Anderson, who, incredibly, was a second-team choice last season. She went on to earn first-team All-Pacific Region and honorable mention All-America honors last year.

Anderson, a middle blocker, is second on the team in kills with 395 and leads the Broncos in blocks with 104. She also hits at a team-high .306 percentage. Francis, an outside hitter, is enjoying her best season with the Broncos. She leads the team in kills with 428 and also is second on the squad in digs with 227. Gordon, also an outside hitter, is third on the team in kills with 238 and also contributed 44 blocks.

UC San Diego’s Duncan McFarland was named the CCAA Coach of the Year and the Tritons’ Teresa Ohta was the Player of the Year in voting done by the conference coaches. Cal State San Bernardino’s Sharea Drawn was named the Freshman of the Year.

The Broncos finished in a tie for third in the CCAA with a 12-6 record and are 18-11 overall. The third-place finish was the best for Cal Poly Pomona since the conference expanded in 1998.

Cal Poly Pomona, the No. 7 seed in the NCAA Division II Pacific Region playoffs, will face No. 2 seed Cal State San Bernardino in a first-round contest on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at UC San Diego. The match will be webcast on the Cal Poly Pomona athletic department website at www.csupomona.edu/~athletic.

Broncos Punch Their Playoff Ticket
Cal Poly Pomona qualifies for NCAA volleyball playoffs

POMONA -- The wait is finally over for Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team.

After close calls the past two seasons, the third time was the charm when the Broncos were selected Sunday for the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Broncos, the No. 7 seed in the Pacific Region, will face No. 2 seed Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday at UC San Diego.

Cal Poly Pomona will be making its first NCAA playoff appearance since 1997 after narrowly missing out on the postseason in 2002 and 2003. The Broncos finished tied for third in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, which is their best finish since the conference expanded in 1998. Cal Poly Pomona enters the playoffs with an 18-11 record after going 12-6 in the CCAA.

“I know it means a lot to the players who have been part of the building stages that this team will get to experience this,” Cal Poly Pomona Head Coach Rosie Wegrich said. “We’re looking forward to the competition because we feel like we had a very strong finish. The CCAA is so challenging; it’s the best conference to prepare you for this type of competition.”

The Broncos won six of their final eight matches, losing only at top-seed UC San Diego and No. 2 seed Cal State San Bernardino on the road. Cal Poly Pomona owned season sweeps over No. 3 seed Cal State L.A. and No. 8 seed Cal State Bakersfield. The Broncos and Roadrunners tied for third in the conference, behind conference champion UC San Diego and defending region champion Cal State San Bernardino.

Cal Poly Pomona has lost both meetings against Cal State San Bernardino this season, although the Broncos did split last season against the Coyotes, knocking off Cal State San Bernardino in five games in Darlene May Gym. The Coyotes were the No. 1-ranked team in the country at that time.

The playoff appearance caps a tremendous three-year comeback for Cal Poly Pomona from an injury-plagued 10-20 season in 2001. The Broncos were 20-11 in 2002 and were the only team in the country to win 20 games and not make the playoffs. Last year, the Broncos were 19-11, but lost out to Seattle University for the final playoff spot.

This year, the Broncos started slowly, losing five of their first nine matches, but got hot once CCAA play began. Cal Poly Pomona started conference play with a road sweep of Cal State L.A. and Cal State Bakersfield and won their first six CCAA matches for the first time ever.

After losing three straight matches in early October, the Broncos won five of their next six matches to position themselves for the run at the playoffs.

The time of the Cal Poly Pomona-Cal State San Bernardino match will be announced on Monday.

Broncos Make Final Case For Playoffs
Cal Poly Pomona upends Grand Canyon in four games

POMONA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team got a win it figured it needed Friday night against a former California Collegiate Athletic Association foe.

The Broncos (18-11) started quickly and then held off Grand Canyon, 30-21, 30-21, 24-30, 30-21 Friday night in Darlene May Gym. The win should give the Broncos their first NCAA Division II playoff berth since 1997. The Broncos entered the week ranked seventh in the Pacific Region and won their final two matches this week. The top eight teams will advance to the playoffs. Pairings will be announced Sunday night.

The Broncos completed one of their most successful regular seasons in recent years. Cal Poly Pomona finished third in the CCAA, which is their best finish since the conference expanded in 1998. Cal State Bakersfield can tie the Broncos for third with a win Saturday night.

Cal Poly Pomona also recorded sweeps over regional contenders Cal State L.A. and Cal State Bakersfield for the first time since 1986.

The victory on Friday didn’t come easily. After winning the first two games, the Broncos fell victim to a late run in the third game by the Antelopes. The fourth game was close until the Broncos went on a 5-0 run to break a 16-16 tie and took control of the match.

Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) had 20 kills and five blocks, while Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had 19 kills and 12 digs. Antoinette Kathol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS) added 11 kills and four blocks. Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 33 assists and Jen Bullock (Sr., Anaheim, Eastern New Mexico) had 24 assists.

Kim Gabriel had a match-high 21 kills for Grand Canyon (6-17), while Krista Jacob had 13. Megan Taylor had 35 assists.

The Broncos roared out of the gates and won the first two games with relative ease. The Broncos led early in the third game, but, with Cal Poly Pomona holding a 20-19 edge, Grand Canyon went on a 7-0 run fueled by four kills by Jacob and a kill and a block by Sonia Morales. The Antelopes closed out the game with a kill by Gabriel.

The fourth game was tense until the Broncos broke a 16-16 tie with a 5-0 run, taking the lead for good on an ace by Kathol. A Francis kill made it 29-21 and the Broncos ended the match with a kill from Mallory Manzo (Fr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS) on a set from Jenna Kageyama (So., Irvine, University HS).

Broncos Topple Toros In Four
Cal Poly Pomona avenges earlier defeat to CS Dominguez Hills

POMONA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team put the finishing touches on one of their best California Collegiate Athletic Association seasons with a big win Wednesday night.

Cal Poly Pomona clinched no worse than a tie for third in the CCAA with a 30-23, 24-30, 30-26, 30-21 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills Wednesday night in Darlene May Gym. The Broncos (17-11, 12-6) concluded their conference schedule with the victory. Cal State Bakersfield can move into a tie for third with the Broncos if the Roadrunners win their final two matches.

The third-place finish by the Broncos is their highest since the conference expanded in 1998.

The Broncos also moved closer to their first NCAA playoff berth since 1997. Cal Poly Pomona is ranked seventh in the latest Pacific Region rankings; the top eight advance to the postseason.

The Broncos used a balanced offensive attack to subdue the Toros, who are vastly improved this season. Cal State Dominguez Hills (13-14, 6-12), in fact, swept the Broncos in Carson earlier this season.

Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) led the way with 16 kills and nine digs, while Antoinette Kathol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS) had 13 kills in just 21 attacks for a sizzling .619 hitting percentage. She also had five blocks and a service ace. Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) had 12 kills and four blocks, while Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) had 11 kills and five blocks. Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 51 assists and five kills.

Cal State Dominguez Hills was led by Keesha Aldridge, who had 15 kills and five blocks. Carol Hamilton and Christine Tran had 12 kills each for the Toros, who also got 44 assists and nine digs from Ashley Sutherland.

The Broncos led the entire way in the first game and won relatively easily. The Toros, though, bounced back with a big win in the second frame, jumping out to a 23-14 lead after a block by Hamilton and cruising from there. A Hamilton kill made it 29-23 and the Toros won the game on an attack error by the Broncos.

The third game was a tense one. The Broncos took the lead for good at 12-11 on a kill by Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC), but Cal State Dominguez Hills stayed within striking distance the rest of the way. A kill by Vivian Maxie and a ball-handling error on Cal Poly Pomona cut the Bronco lead to 28-26, but a kill by Kathol and a block by Gordon finished the game.

Cal Poly Pomona scored the first five points of the fourth game and kept control the rest of the way. A kill by Francis made it 29-19 and, after kills by Tiare Alailima and Hamilton, an attack error by the Toros ended the match.

Cal Poly Pomona will conclude its regular season with a home match against Grand Canyon on Friday.

Broncos Lose To No. 6 CS San Bernardino
Cal Poly Pomona extends Coyotes to four games in loss

SAN BERNARDINO -- Cal Poly Pomona's women's volleyball team was able to extend No. 6 Cal State San Bernardino, but not enough to pull off a victory.

The Broncos started slowly against the Coyotes and fell, 30-17, 30-19, 30-32, 30-22 Saturday night in San Bernardino. Cal Poly Pomona (16-11, 11-6) is still in third place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association with one conference match remaining.

Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had a team-high 18 kills and 14 digs, while Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) had 11 kills and one block. Kiting Kolar (Fr., La Canada, La Canada HS) had a match-high 21 kills, while Jen Bullock (Sr., Anaheim, Eastern New Mexico) had 31 assists and nine digs. Casey Riedel (So., Saugus, Saugus HS) and Antoinette Kathol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS) had three aces each.

After losing the first two games, the Broncos jumped out to an 11-2 advantage in the third game. An ace by Riedel gave the Broncos a 29-25 edge, but the Coyotes scored five straight points to get to match point at 30-29. A kill by Francis knotted the game up, Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) and Kathol recorded a block to make it 31-30 and Defoort finished the game with a kill.

The fourth game was also very competitive with the Coyotes never leading by more than four points until a late run gave them a 26-20 edge.

Broncos Fall To No. 2 UC San Diego
Cal Poly Pomona is unable to upset CCAA leaders

LA JOLLA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team put up quite a battle, but couldn’t pull an upset over the nation’s No. 2 team.

The Broncos dropped three close games to UC San Diego, 30-22, 30-26, 30-27 on Friday night. The Broncos (16-10, 11-5) continue to hold third place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, while the Tritons moved closer to their first-ever conference title.

Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) led the Broncos with 10 kills, while Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had eight kills and eight digs. Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 32 assists, seven digs and two aces. Breezie Jordan (Jr., Ventura, Buena HS) also had two aces.

The Broncos contested the Tritons in each of the three games. The first game consisted of seven ties, the latest at 14-14. The Broncos still trailed by only four, 21-17, when UC San Diego scored six of the next seven points to pull away.

In Game Two, the Broncos jumped out to a 14-8 lead and were still tied, 20-20. Game Three was hard-fought the entire way and was tied as late as 26-26. UC San Diego, though, scored the next three points and eventually put the match away.

Cal Poly Pomona will face Cal State San Bernardino on Saturday night.

Broncos Post Sweep Over Wildcats
Cal Poly Pomona nets fourth consecutive victory

POMONA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team got another three-game sweep in final preparations before its toughest road trip of the season.

The Broncos ran their winning streak to four games in a row with a 30-14, 30-15, 30-26 win over Chico State Friday night in Darlene May Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (16-9, 11-4) maintained its two-game edge over Cal State Bakersfield in the chase for third place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Next up for the Broncos are the top two teams in the conference, UC San Diego in La Jolla on Friday and Cal State San Bernardino in San Bernardino on Saturday.

The Broncos got a match-high 12 kills and four blocks from Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) and seven kills and four blocks from Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS).

Whitney Johnson had 11 kills and five blocks to lead Chico State (4-19, 3-11).

The Broncos started quickly and rolled to easy victories in the first two games. Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) and Francis had four kills each in the opening game to lead the Broncos to a sizzling .478 hitting percentage.

In the second frame, the Broncos got four kills each from Francis and Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) and hit at a .273 clip.

The most competitive game of the night was the final one and Johnson recorded five kills and Lindsey Karkula added four to give Chico State a chance. Cal Poly Pomona, though, took advantage of 11 hitting errors by the Wildcats to pull out the victory.

Antoinette Kathol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS) had five kills, three aces, four digs and four blocks for the Broncos, while Gordon finished with five kills, two aces and one block. Breezie Jordan (Jr., Ventura, Buena HS) had a pair of aces for the Broncos, while Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 24 assists.

Broncos Roll Past Warriors In Three
Cal Poly Pomona posts third consecutive conference victory

POMONA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team continued its winning ways Friday night and maintained its hold on third place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association in the process.

The Broncos (15-9, 10-4) won their third consecutive match by beating Cal State Stanislaus, 30-21, 30-26, 30-18, in Darlene May Gym. Cal Poly Pomona maintained third place in the conference and also pulled to within two games of second-place Cal State San Bernardino.

Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) led a balanced Cal Poly Pomona attack with 11 kills, eight digs and five blocks. Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) had eight kills and four blocks, while Antoinette Kathol had seven kills and three blocks.

The Broncos also had six aces, four of them by Breezie Jordan (Jr., Ventura, Buena HS).
Cal State Stanislaus (6-17, 2-12) got eight kills, two blocks and 14 digs from Liz Sloan and seven kills and 13 digs from Janelle Marinos.

The Broncos jumped out to a quick 18-8 lead in the first game after a kill by Mallory Manzo (Fr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS) and cruised from there. Cal State Stanislaus got as close as five points at 25-20, after a kill by Marinos, but the Broncos scored the next two points on a serving error and a kill by Anderson to regain control.

The second game was the most competitive of the night. After Cal Poly Pomona took a 26-18 lead on a kill by Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College), the Warriors came storming back and got to within one point at 27-26 after back-to-back kills from Marinos. A kill by Anderson, a block by Francis and Anderson and an ace by Jordan closed out the game for the Broncos.

After Cal State Stanislaus jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the third game, the Broncos rallied and took the lead for good at 10-9 after a tip by Francis. Francis had seven kills in the game, while Casey Riedel (So., Saugus, Saugus HS) had six to lead a .333 hitting percentage for the Broncos.

Jen Bullock (Sr., Anaheim, Eastern New Mexico) had 25 assists for the Broncos, while Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) added 16. Manzo added six kills and one block.

The Broncos will continue CCAA play Saturday night with a home match against Chico State.

Anderson Named CCAA Player of the Week
Cal Poly Pomona All-American earns weekly conference honors for second time

WALNUT CREEK -- Cal Poly Pomona’s Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) has been named the Molten California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 18-24.

Anderson led the Broncos to a pair of important victories over Cal State Bakersfield and Cal State L.A. The Broncos completed sweeps over the Roadrunners and Golden Eagles in the same season for the first time since 1985.

Anderson had a match-high 19 kills on .342 hitting and also added two blocks and two digs to lead Cal Poly Pomona to a 30-28, 30-25, 19-30, 30-25 victory over Cal State Bakersfield on Friday. She then added 14 kills on .400 hitting and added four blocks and two digs in an 18-30, 30-25, 30-22, 30-24 over Cal State L.A.

For the week, Anderson averaged 4.13 kills per game on .368 hitting.

The Broncos maintained their hold on third place in the CCAA with a 9-4 conference mark. Cal Poly Pomona, bidding for its first NCAA Division II playoff berth since 1997, is now 14-9 overall and ranked eighth in the most recent Pacific Region poll.

This is Anderson’s second weekly honor this season. She also earned the award for the week of Sept. 6-12 when the Broncos posted road victories at Cal State L.A. and Cal State Bakersfield.

Broncos Beat Golden Eagles In Four
Cal Poly Pomona posts second big win in as many nights

POMONA -- For the second straight night, Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team picked up an important California Collegiate Athletic Association victory against a top-notch opponent.

The Broncos strengthened their hold on third place in the conference with an 18-30, 30-25, 30-22, 30-24 victory over Cal State L.A. Saturday night in Kellogg Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (14-9, 9-4) completed a rare season sweep over both the Golden Eagles and Cal State Bakersfield, whom the Broncos defeated on Friday. The Broncos hadn’t swept both teams in the same season since 1985.

The Broncos, ranked eighth in the latest NCAA Division II Pacific Region poll, also helped their playoff drive, with wins over No. 7 Cal State Bakersfield and No. 4 Cal State L.A. Cal Poly Pomona is seeking its first playoff berth since 1997.

The Broncos had a balanced offensive attack that featured four players reach double figures in kills. Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had 15 kills and 17 digs, Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) had 15 kills and one block, Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) had 14 kills and four blocks and Antoinette Kathol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS) had 12 kills, eight digs and one block.

Cal State L.A. (12-10, 6-7) was led by Te’Ara Epps, who had a match-high 17 kills and seven blocks. The Golden Eagles also got 34 assists, two aces, seven digs and three blocks.

The Broncos started slowly and Cal State L.A. rolled to an opening-game win while hitting at a robust .368 average with 15 kills and only one attack error. Epps had seven kills in 13 swings in the opening game alone.

Cal Poly Pomona, though, got untracked in the second game, recording 21 kills, paced by Anderson’s seven. The match turned in the Broncos’ favor in the third game when they took advantage of five service aces, three by Stephanie Chen (Fr., Walnut, Walnut HS) and two by Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS).

The Broncos recorded 19 kills with only two errors in the final game, led by Francis and Defoort with five kills each.

Kennedy finished the match with 47 assists, five aces, eight digs and one block.

Cal Poly Pomona will continue conference action next weekend with a pair of home matches in Darlene May Gym. The Broncos will face Cal State Stanislaus on Friday and Chico State on Saturday.

Broncos Outlast Roadrunners In Four
Cal Poly Pomona posts big conference win over CS Bakersfield

POMONA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team picked up a win it had to have Friday night against one of the California Collegiate Athletic Association’s elite.

The Broncos recorded their first conference sweep of Cal State Bakersfield since 1984 with a 30-28, 30-25, 19-30, 30-25 victory Friday night in Darlene May Gym. Earlier this season, the Broncos (13-9, 8-4) upended Cal State Bakersfield (11-8, 7-6) in five games in Bakersfield.

Cal Poly Pomona, which is third in the CCAA, was ranked eighth in the Pacific Region entering the match; Cal State Bakersfield was seventh.

Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) led the Broncos with 19 kills and two blocks, while Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) added 14 kills and 15 digs and Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) had 11 kills and eight digs. Antoinette Kathol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS) added nine kills and nine blocks.

Sabrina Smart led Cal State Bakersfield with 15 kills, while Jodi Hardin had 14 kills and 16 digs. Lindsey Jordan had 13 kills and two blocks.

The Broncos jumped out quickly and won the first two games. In Game One, the Broncos took the lead for good at 11-10 on a kill by Gordon, but never could pull away to a comfortable advantage. Cal State Bakersfield never trailed by more than four points and got within one point on 10 different occasions, the last time at 29-28 after a kill by Smart.

The Broncos won the game on a kill by Francis.

In the second game, the Broncos trailed, 23-21, after a Cal State Bakersfield block by Jordan and Melissa Myers. Cal Poly Pomona, though, rolled off the next four points to take control, two coming on errors by Cal State Bakersfield, the other on a kill by Kennedy and another on a block by Gordon and Kathol. The Broncos got to game point on a kill by Gordon and won the game on an attack error by the Roadrunners.

After the intermission, the Roadrunners jumped out to a 20-9 advantage and were never threatened in Game Three.

In the final game, the Broncos started quickly and moved to a 16-8 lead after a block by Kathol and Gordon. Cal State Bakersfield steadily crept back into the frame and got to within three points, 26-23, after a block by Smart and Warner.

That was as close as the Roadrunners would get, however, and the Broncos got to game point on a kill by Gordon and won the match on a block by Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) and Kathol.

Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 47 assists for the Broncos.

The Broncos hit .303 for the match to .255 for the Roadrunners. The Broncos had nine service aces, led by Kathol with four.

The Broncos will return to action with a home match Saturday against Cal State L.A.

Broncos Fall To Seawolves In Four
Cal Poly Pomona loses CCAA match at Sonoma State

ROHNERT PARK -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team was able to survive a stern test from Sonoma State in September, but the Broncos couldn’t overcome the Seawolves Saturday night.

The Broncos got off to a good start, but Sonoma State rallied to post a 26-30, 30-21, 20-21, 30-26 victory in Seawolf Gym. The Broncos (12-9, 7-4) remain in third place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, while Sonoma State (11-8, 6-5) pulled into a tie for fourth.

Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) led the Broncos with 15 kills and six blocks, while Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) added 14 and 17 digs. Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) added 10 kills.

The Broncos won the opening game, but Sonoma State rallied strongly to win the second and third games by identical 30-21 scores. Cal Poly Pomona fell behind, 15-9, in the fourth game, but went on a 9-1 run to take an 18-16 lead after an ace by Megan Meenan (Sr., Hermosa Beach, El Camino College). Sonoma State, though, went on a 10-3 spurt to take a 26-21 advantage and kept the lead the rest of the way.

Meenan had a team-high 23 digs for the Broncos, while Casey Riedel (So., Saugus, Saugus HS) had seven kills and 19 digs. Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 47 assists, two aces and nine digs.

The Broncos will play their next four CCAA matches in Darlene May Gym, beginning with a contest Friday against Cal State Bakersfield.

Broncos Snap Three-Match Slide
Cal Poly Pomona posts three-game win over CS Monterey Bay

SEASIDE -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team got the second half of its California Collegiate Athletic Association slate off to a good start.

The Broncos (12-8, 7-3) snapped a three-match losing streak and rolled past Cal State Monterey Bay, 30-25, 30-16, 30-22, Friday night in Seaside. Cal Poly Pomona improved its road record in CCAA play to 5-1.
Cal Poly Pomona, which had been idle since losing at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Oct. 6, used a balanced offensive attack to subdue the Otters. The Broncos had four players reach double figures in kills. Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) led the way with 13 kills and five blocks. Anderson hit at a sizzling .520 in the match.

Casey Riedel (So., Saugus, Saugus HS) had 12 kills and five blocks, Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had 12 kills, 19 digs and eight blocks and Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) had 10 kills and three blocks.

Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had a team-high 13 assists, while Megan Meenan (Sr., Hermosa Beach, El Camino College) had 10 assists and 14 digs.

The Broncos hit at a .264 clip in the match. Jen Bullock (Sr., Anaheim, Eastern New Mexico) and Riedel had the only two service aces for the Broncos.

Cal Poly Pomona will face Sonoma State in a key conference match Saturday night in Rohnert Park.

Broncos Stunned By CS Dominguez Hills
Cal Poly Pomona loses its third straight conference match

CARSON -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team concluded the first half of California Collegiate Athletic Association play on a down note.

The Broncos (11-8, 6-3) were stunned by Cal State Dominguez Hills, falling 30-25, 30-26, 30-24 Wednesday night in the Torodome. Cal Poly Pomona had a 17-match winning streak against the Toros, dating back to 1995, snapped with the defeat. The Broncos, after starting conference play at 6-0, have dropped their last three matches to No. 7 Cal State San Bernardino, No. 2 UC San Diego and Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) had a team-high 10 kills and three blocks for the Broncos, while Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) added nine kills and four blocks. Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had eight kills and two blocks.

Cal Poly Pomona struggled throughout the match, committing 31 attack errors and hitting at a .053 percentage. The Broncos also went without a service ace in the match, while committing seven serving errors.

The Broncos led for most of the first game, scoring the first five points of the match and leading as late as 23-22 after a kill by Gordon. The Toros, though, outscored the Broncos, 8-2, to finish the game.

Cal State Dominguez Hills jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the second frame and kept the advantage throughout, never allowing the Broncos to get within four points.

Although the Broncos scored the first three points in the third frame, Cal State Dominguez Hills led for most of that game as well. The Broncos knotted things up at 20-20, but the Toros ran off the next six points and proceeded to close out the match.

Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 33 assists and nine digs for the Broncos, while Kiting Kolar (Fr., La Canada, La Canada HS) had a team-high 14 digs.

The Broncos will entertain their alumni on Saturday before resuming CCAA competition on Friday, Oct. 15, at Cal State Monterey Bay.

Broncos Fall Short Against Tritons
Cal Poly Pomona loses to No. 2-ranked team in the country

POMONA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team played against its second nationally-ranked opponent in as many nights and the Broncos fell short again Saturday night.

The Broncos, after winning their first six California Collegiate Athletic Association contests for the first time ever, dropped its second straight match Saturday, falling to No. 2 UC San Diego, 30-19, 33-31, 30-24. Cal Poly Pomona (11-7, 6-2) lost to No. 7 Cal State San Bernardino in three games on Friday night.

Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) and Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had 12 kills each to lead the Broncos, while Bonnie Wilson had a match-high 14 kills and Kendra Canape added 10 kills. Teresa Ohta had 47 assists and five kills for the Tritons (17-1, 7-0).

UC San Diego beat the Broncos for the seventh straight time dating back to the 2000 season.

The Broncos started slowly and UC San Diego started out on fire in a lopsided first game. The Tritons hit .500 in the frame, while the Broncos hit just .188. Wilson, Canape and Lindsay Crandall had five kills each for the Tritons in the opening game.

The second game was the best frame of the evening and featured some lengthy rallies and heavy drama. Cal Poly Pomona saved four game points before UC San Diego finally put the game away on a kill by Crandall and a bad set by the Broncos. Two kills by Francis and one by Anderson had kept the Broncos in the game. Francis had six kills in the game for the Broncos.

The final game was also close throughout and, after trailing by as many as six points, the Broncos got to within 26-23 after a kill by Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS). The Tritons, though, moved out to a 29-23 lead and, following a kill by Anderson that made it 29-24, finished the match on a kill by Wilson.

UC San Diego hit .382 for the match to .189 by the Broncos.

The Broncos had six aces, including three by Megan Meenan (Sr., Hermosa Beach, El Camino College). Kennedy had 34 assists, four kills and three blocks, while Kiting Kolar (Fr., La Canada, La Canada HS) and Mallory Manzo (Fr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS) had 12 digs each.

Cal Poly Pomona will conclude the first half of CCAA play on Wednesday in Carson against Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Broncos Suffer First Loss In Conference
Cal Poly Pomona falls to defending champion Coyotes

POMONA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team ran into an inspired Cal State San Bernardino squad and suffered its first conference defeat of the season.

The Coyotes, the three-time defending California Collegiate Athletic Association champions, jumped on the Broncos from the start and never let up, posting a 30-19, 30-13, 30-25 victory Friday night in Darlene May Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (11-6, 6-1) had a seven-match winning streak snapped and dropped its first conference match. Cal State San Bernardino (12-3, 4-2) avenged a loss to Cal Poly Pomona last year in Darlene May Gym when the Coyotes were ranked No. 1 in the country.

Cal State San Bernardino is ranked seventh in the nation entering this weekend’s matches. The Broncos will host the nation’s No. 2 team, UC San Diego, on Saturday night.

Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) led the Broncos with 12 kills and eight digs, while Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) added eight kills and two blocks.

The Coyotes, who hit a sizzling .387 for the match, got 15 kills and six digs from Brianna Harris and an astounding 13 kills in 17 swings from Cathleen Price. Cristen Trent had 38 assists and three service aces.
The Broncos held a 13-10 lead early in the first game, but Cal State San Bernardino outscored the Broncos, 20-6, to close the frame. The Coyotes jumped out to a quick 10-3 lead in the second game and were never threatened as they took a 2-0 advantage.

The third game was by far the most entertaining and competitive and marked by long rallies. Cal State San Bernardino led early, 16-11, but the Broncos got to within two points, 26-24, on a kill by Gordon. Cal State San Bernardino, though, never let the Broncos get any closer and ended the match on a ball-handling error by Cal Poly Pomona.

The Broncos got 33 assists and four digs from Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) and 10 digs and a pair of service aces from Kiting Kolar (Fr., La Canada, La Canada HS).

Broncos Move To 6-0 In Conference
Cal Poly Pomona wins its seventh straight match

POMONA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team did its part to set up what should be an exciting weekend of volleyball.

The Broncos took care of California Collegiate Athletic Association newcomer Cal State Monterey Bay, 24-30, 30-14, 30-15, 30-20 Saturday night in Darlene May Gym. The Broncos (11-5, 6-0) won their seventh straight match and are 6-0 in the CCAA for the first time ever.
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The wins over Sonoma State and Cal State Monterey Bay this weekend set up two big showdowns next week against two of the nation’s top-seven teams. Cal Poly Pomona will face No. 7 Cal State San Bernardino on Friday night and No. 2 UC San Diego on Saturday night in Darlene May Gym. The Broncos currently lead the CCAA by one-half game over UC San Diego, which is 5-0 in conference. Cal State San Bernardino, the defending CCAA champion, is a game further back at 4-1.

Cal Poly Pomona struggled early against Cal State Monterey Bay (2-10, 0-5) and dropped the first game. The Broncos, though, put things together and rolled to easy wins in the final three frames.

Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) led the Broncos with 15 kills and five blocks, while Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had 13 kills and two blocks. Mallory Manzo (Fr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS) and Casey Riedel (So., Saugus, Saugus HS) had 10 kills each.

Brittany Etchings had nine kills to lead the Otters, while Christine Ricketts added eight kills. Jennifer Holda had a match-high 21 digs.

The Broncos also got 41 assists from Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS), while Jen Bullock (Sr., Anaheim, Eastern New Mexico) added 10 assists. Megan Meenan (Sr., Hermosa Beach, El Camino College) had a team-high 12 digs, while Kiting Kolar (Fr., La Canada, La Canada HS) added 11 digs and two aces. Manzo led the Broncos with three aces.

Broncos Outlast Sonoma State In Thriller
Cal Poly Pomona wins sixth straight with five-game marathon

POMONA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team ran its winning streak to six games and the Broncos did it the hard way.

The Broncos outlasted Sonoma State, 30-23, 24-30, 31-29, 27-30, 15-13, Friday night in Darlene May Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (10-5, 5-0) remains in a first-place tie with UC San Diego in the California Collegiate Athletic Association after enduring its eighth five-game match already this season.

The Broncos are 2-0 in five-game matches in conference play and 5-3 overall.

Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had 18 kills, including the game-winner that glanced off a Sonoma State player and sailed long. Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) added 16 kills and five blocks and Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) had 14 kills and four blocks.

Sonoma State (6-6, 1-3) was led by Erin Manley and Rachel Sagapolu, who had 18 kills each.

The teams split the first two games and set themselves up for an extremely tense match. The Broncos rallied from a 20-13 deficit in the third game and won the frame on consecutive kills by Francis.

The Seawolves, though, came back and led nearly wire to wire in the fourth game to set up the fifth and deciding set.

The Broncos trailed early, 9-6, and then rolled off five straight points to take an 11-9 lead. The Broncos grabbed a 12-10 edge on a kill by Gordon and, after an attack error by Cal Poly Pomona, took a 13-12 edge on a kill by Antoinette Kathol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS). Kathol and Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) then combined on a block to give the Broncos two match points at 14-12. The Seawolves saved the first one, but Francis put away the kill that ended it.

Ashley Arriola had a match-high 23 digs for Sonoma State, while Rosie Manton added 18 digs. Megan Dierker had 12 kills and a team-high six blocks. Tina Mesquita had 46 assists.

For the Broncos, Kennedy had 56 assists, while Kiting Kolar (Fr., La Canada, La Canada HS) had a team-high 22 digs. Francis and Anderson both had five blocks.

The Broncos will return to action on Saturday night with a home match against Cal State Monterey Bay.

Broncos Complete A Perfect Week
Cal Poly Pomona sweeps past Cal State Stanislaus

TURLOCK -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team made quick work of another opponent Saturday night.

The Broncos swept their third match this week – and second California Collegiate Athletic Association contest – by recording a 30-17, 30-14, 30-23 win over Cal State Stanislaus Saturday night in Turlock. Cal Poly Pomona (9-5, 4-0 in CCAA) won its fifth straight match and won all three contests this week in sweeps.

Earlier, the Broncos swept La Verne, the No. 2-ranked team in the NCAA Division III and Chico State.

Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) led the Broncos with 17 kills and a hitting percentage of .360. Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) added eight kills and a hitting percentage of .800 in two games. Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) added seven kills and four blocks and hit at a percentage of .462.

Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) had six kills and one block, Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 23 assists and three aces, while Kiting Kolar (Fr., La Canada, La Canada HS) had a team-high 10 digs.

The Broncos hit at a .347 percentage, including a sizzling .600 in the first game.

Cal Poly Pomona, which leads the CCAA by one-half game over UC San Diego, returns to action next Friday night with a home match against Sonoma State at 7 p.m. in Darlene May Gym.

Broncos Win Again On The Road
Cal Poly Pomona sweeps Chico State in CCAA play

CHICO -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team made sure it wouldn’t become Chico State’s first victim of 2004.

The Broncos started strongly and never let up, rolling to a 30-22, 30-21, 30-23 win Friday in Acker Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (8-5, 3-0) remained unbeaten in CCAA play, winning its third straight conference match, all away from home.

The Broncos, who also beat La Verne, the No. 2-ranked team in the NCAA Division III at home on Tuesday, have a four-match winning streak overall. Chico State (0-11, 0-3) remained winless on the season.

Cal Poly Pomona got a match-high 14 kills from Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS), while Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) had 13 kills and hit at a .520 percentage. Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) added 11 kills.

Kiting Kolar (Fr., La Canada, La Canada HS) had a team-high five aces and also led the Broncos with 11 digs. Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 34 assists.

The Broncos had 12 service aces to only two for Chico State. Kolar led with five, while Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) had three and Kennedy and Casey Riedel (So., Saugus, Saugus HS) had two each.

Cal Poly Pomona will face Cal State Stanislaus on Saturday night in Turlock.

Broncos Post Three-Game Win Over Leos
Cal Poly Pomona wins third straight by beating La Verne

POMONA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team made sure it held on to a 2-0 lead Tuesday night in Darlene May Gym.

The Broncos, who lost a pair of matches earlier in the season after leading 2-0 at home, kept the pressure on and swept La Verne, the No. 2-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, 30-19, 30-23, 30-27. Cal Poly Pomona (7-5) won its third straight match while handing La Verne (5-1) its first loss of the season.

Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) led the Broncos with 14 kills, while Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) had nine kills and two blocks. Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS), who was honored by the California Collegiate Athletic Association on Monday as its Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 6-12, added seven kills and four blocks.

Kiting Kolar (Fr., La Canada, La Canada HS) had a team-high four aces and 10 digs and kept the match from extending to four games with a powerful serving display at the end of the third game. With the Broncos trailing, 27-22, Cal Poly Pomona retrieved the serve thanks to a kill from Mallory Manzo (Fr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS). Kolar stepped up and served out the match, helping the Broncos record the final seven points of the match. She had three aces during the run, including one that gave Cal Poly Pomona a 28-27 advantage.

The Leopards were led by Amy Kratochvil and Mandy Sedia, who recorded 10 kills each. Kratochvil, one of two All-Americans on the Leopards, also had a team-high nine digs and two blocks.

La Verne, which won a NCAA Division III national title in 2001, started well and held an 11-9 lead early in the first game. The Broncos, though, went on a huge run and quickly opened up a 24-14 lead behind the serving of Stephanie Chen (Fr., Walnut, Walnut HS) and Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS). Kennedy had a serving run that lasted nine points.

The Broncos led for nearly all of the second game, but La Verne threatened to extend the match with some inspired play in the third game. The Leopards opened up a quick 13-9 edge and led by five, 27-22, before the Broncos began their match-deciding run.

Three aces by Kolar, a kill by Anderson and three attack errors by La Verne ended the contest.

Kennedy had 26 assists for the Broncos while playing the first two games and only briefly in the third game, while Jenn Bullock (Sr., Anaheim, Eastern New Mexico) had 11 assists, all in the third game.
The Broncos, 2-0 in the CCAA, will resume conference play on Friday at Chico State.

Anderson Named CCAA Player of the Week
Cal Poly Pomona All-American earns weekly conference honors

WALNUT CREEK -- Cal Poly Pomona’s Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) has been named the Molten California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 6-12.

Anderson led the Broncos to a pair of important road victories at Cal State L.A. and Cal State Bakersfield to open conference play. Cal Poly Pomona beat the Roadrunners in Bakersfield for the first time since 1991 and in a conference match at Bakersfield for the first time since 1987. The Broncos won road matches at Cal State Bakersfield and Cal State L.A. in the same season for the first time since 1991.

Cal Poly Pomona is now 6-5 overall and 2-0 in CCAA play.

Anderson, who earned All-America honorable mention last year, had 13 kills, six blocks, four digs, two assists and a service ace to power the Broncos past Cal State L.A., 26-30, 33-31, 30-26, 30-21 on Friday. Then, on Saturday, against a rested Cal State Bakersfield team, Anderson had a team-high 16 kills to go along with seven blocks, four digs and two aces to lead the Broncos to a 30-19, 26-30, 30-28, 16-30, 15-15 win over the Roadrunners. With the score tied at 12-12 in the fifth game, Anderson had kills on the Broncos’ final three points to give them the 15-13 win.

This is Anderson’s first weekly honor at Cal Poly Pomona.

Broncos Complete Memorable Weekend
Cal Poly Pomona beats Cal State Bakersfield in five games

BAKERSFIELD -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team wrapped up one of the most impressive weekends in the program’s history with a dramatic victory over California Collegiate Athletic Association power Cal State Bakersfield.

The Broncos rallied from a 10-6 deficit in the fifth and deciding game and posted a 30-19, 26-30, 30-28, 16-30, 15-13 win Saturday night at the Icardo Center in Bakersfield. Cal Poly Pomona (6-5, 2-0) had opened conference play a night earlier with a tough four-game win at Cal State L.A.

Cal Poly Pomona won a conference match in Bakersfield for the first time since 1987.

Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) led the Broncos with 16 kills, including three kills on the Broncos’ final four points of the match. Anderson’s final kill off a set from Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) ended the match after Cal State Bakersfield had closed to within 14-13.

Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) added 14 kills for the Broncos, including seven in the opening game and two key kills in the fifth game that helped Cal Poly Pomona rally from the 10-6 deficit.

The Broncos came out on fire and rolled to a win in the opening game behind Gordon’s seven kills and a team hitting percentage of .407. Cal Poly Pomona cooled off in the second game and Cal State Bakersfield was able to even the match.

Cal State Bakersfield jumped out to a 22-14 lead in the third game, but the Broncos rallied strongly and eventually capitalized on some Roadrunner errors at the end of the game.

The Roadrunners (5-2, 1-1) breezed to a 30-16 win in the fourth game and appeared to be in control of the fifth game with their 10-6 advantage. A kill by Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) got the Bronco rally started and after two kills by Gordon, a kill by Kennedy and an attack error on the Roadrunners, the game was tied at 12-12.

That’s when Anderson took over. Consecutive kills by the Bronco All-American gave Cal Poly Pomona match point at 14-12. After the Roadrunners saved the first match point, another kill by Anderson gave the Broncos the victory.

Cal Poly Pomona will host a non-conference match with Division III power La Verne on Tuesday before resuming CCAA play on Friday at Chico State.

Broncos Open CCAA Play With Big Win
Cal Poly Pomona beats Cal State L.A. in four games

LOS ANGELES -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team opened its 2004 California Collegiate Athletic Association schedule with a big road victory.

The Broncos rallied for a 26-30, 33-31, 30-26, 30-21 win over Cal State L.A. Friday night in the Eagles Nest. Cal Poly Pomona (5-5, 1-0) has now beaten Cal State L.A. four consecutive times, including a two straight wins in the Eagles’ Nest.

Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) had a sensational match for the Broncos, recording a career-high 22 kills and hitting at a sizzling .400 percentage. Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) added 16 kills and four blocks, while Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) recorded 13 kills and six blocks.

Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 51 assists, three aces and four blocks for the Broncos, while Megan Meenan (Sr., Hermosa Beach, El Camino College) had a team-high five aces. The Broncos had 13 aces in the match, including five from Meenan, three from Kennedy, two each from Kiting Kolar (Fr., La Canada, La Canada HS) and Casey Riedel (So., Saugus, Saugus HS) and one from Breezie Jordan (Jr., Ventura, Buena HS).

The Broncos lost the opening game and had to stave off two games points, at 28-29 and 29-30. Cal Poly Pomona evened the score both times on kills from Francis. Then, after a kill by Francis gave the Broncos a 32-31 edge, a kill from Mallory Manzo (Fr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS) gave the Broncos the all-important second game, 33-31.

Cal Poly Pomona trailed in the third game, 25-21, but went on a 9-1 run to close out the game, including the final four points of the frame.

The Broncos then jumped out quickly in the fourth game, racing out to a 21-10 advantage. The Golden Eagles trimmed the deficit to 26-20, but couldn’t get any closer. A service ace by Kolar ended the match.

Cal Poly Pomona will face Cal State Bakersfield in Bakersfield on Saturday night.


Holiday Inn Select Diamond Bar-CPP Invitational

Saturday's Results
Cal State L.A. 3, Seattle University 2
Chaminade 3, Indianapolis 1
Cal Poly Pomona 3, W. New Mexico 2
Indianapolis 3, Cal State L.A. 2
Western New Mexico 3, Seattle University 0
Chaminade 3, Cal Poly Pomona 0

Friday's Results
Cal State L.A. 3, W. New Mexico 0
Chaminade 3, Seattle University 2
Indianapolis 3, Cal Poly Pomona 2
Cal State L.A. 3, Chaminade 2
Western New Mexico 3, Indianapolis 1
Seattle University 3, Cal Poly Pomona 2

All-Tournament Team
Allison Anderson (Cal Poly Pomona), Kalae Araujo (Chaminade), Shaun McAllister (Indianapolis), Lizzy Safranski (Seattle University), Liz Narkon (Western New Mexico)
MVP -- Tiara Tuitama (Cal State L.A.)

Exciting Tourney Wraps Up Play
Cal Poly Pomona Invitational featured lengthy competitions

POMONA -- The 2004 Holiday Inn Select Diamond Bar/Cal Poly Invitational was certainly not lacking in dramatic college women’s volleyball matches.

Play concluded for the two-day tournament at Cal Poly Pomona and when the action was finally over, seven of 12 matches had gone the full five-game distance and none of the six tournament teams went unscathed.

Cal State L.A. and Chaminade both finished with 3-1 records, Western New Mexico and Indianapolis were both 2-2 and Cal Poly Pomona and Seattle University finished at 1-3.

Cal State L.A.’s Tiare Tuitama was named the tournament Most Valuable Player. She was joined on the All-Tournament team by Cal Poly Pomona’s Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS), Kalae Araujo of Chaminade, Shaun McAllister of Indianapolis, Lizzy Safranski of Seattle University and Liz Narkon of Western New Mexico.

For the host Broncos, they ran their consecutive five-game matches streak to four when they outlasted Western New Mexico, 30-28, 22-30, 21-30, 30-24, 15-6. The win snapped a three-match losing streak – all five-game battles, including a pair of tough defeats on the opening day of the tourney on Friday.

The Broncos broke the lengthy streak in the tourney finale, only it wasn’t such a good thing. Chaminade closed out the tourney with a 30-26, 30-27, 30-24 win over the hosts.

In the closest match of the day, Indianapolis edged Cal State L.A., 28-30, 30-26, 21-30, 32-30, 18-16. Cal State L.A.’s opening match on Saturday was also a five-setter, which the Golden Eagles won, 30-23, 28-30, 24-30, 32-30, 15-9, over Seattle University.

In the Broncos’ win over Western New Mexico, Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had a match-high 26 kills, while Anderson and Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) had 15 kills each. Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 45 assists.

In the Broncos’ loss to Chaminade, Anderson had a team-high 14 kills. Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) had eight kills and eight blocks.

Marathon Matches Rule The Day
Cal Poly Pomona falls twice in opening day of CPP tourney

POMONA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team played a pair of lengthy matches Friday in the opening day of the 2004 Holiday Inn Select Diamond Bar/Cal Poly Pomona Invitational.

They were hardly the only ones.

On a day filled with entertaining and evenly-matched contests, Cal Poly Pomona lost a pair of heartbreaking five-game matches, falling to Indianapolis and Seattle University. The Broncos (3-4) have now lost three straight matches – all in five games.

Cal State L.A., meanwhile, enjoyed a 2-0 record on Friday, posting a three-game sweep of Western New Mexico and then, in the match of the tournament so far, outlasting Chaminade, 31-29, 29-31, 27-30, 30-27, 26-24, in Darlene May Gym. Te’Ara Epps had 24 kills, while Airess Padda and Andrea Richardson had 22 kills each.

In yet another five-game match, Chaminade outlasted Seattle University, 30-23, 23-30, 27-30, 30-22, 15-9 early Friday. Kahala Kabalis had 22 kills to lead a balanced Chaminade attack, while Sarah Sommerman had 26 kills for the Redhawks.

All four matches held in Darlene May Gym on Friday – Chaminade-Seattle, Cal Poly Pomona-Indianapolis, Cal State L.A.-Chaminade and Cal Poly Pomona-Seattle University – went five games.

In the other match of the day, Western New Mexico handed Indianapolis its first loss of the season, 33-35, 30-22, 30-24, 30-24. Liz Narkon had a tournament-high 33 kills to go along with 19 digs.

For the host Broncos, it was a day filled with frustration. The Broncos jumped out to a 2-0 lead against Indianapolis, only to see the visitors roar back for a 19-30, 26-30, 30-26, 30-26, 15-11 victory. Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) had 23 kills for the Broncos, while Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had 21 kills. Shaun McAllister had 21 kills to lead the Greyhounds.

In the final match of the night, Seattle University was able to outlast the Broncos, 26-30, 30-24, 30-28, 27-30, 17-15. Anderson again led the Broncos with 21 kills and 10 digs, while Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) had a season-high 15 kills and four blocks. Sommerman had 18 kills to lead a balanced Seattle attack, which included 12 kills each from Nikole Thompson, Janeen Fitzgerald and Lizzy Safranski.

Cal Poly Pomona freshman Antoinette Kathol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS) had 14 blocks.

2004 Cal Poly Pomona Invitational
Friday’s Results
Cal State L.A. def. Western New Mexico, 30-27, 30-20, 30-24
Chaminade def. Seattle University, 30-23, 23-30, 27-30, 30-22, 15-9
Indianapolis def. Cal Poly Pomona, 19-30, 26-30, 30-26, 30-26, 15-11
Cal State L.A. def. Chaminade, 31-29, 29-31, 27-30, 30-27, 26-24
Western New Mexico def. Indianapolis, 33-35, 30-22, 30-24, 30-24
Seattle University def. Cal Poly Pomona, 26-30, 30-24, 30-28, 27-30, 17-15
Saturday’s Matches
Cal State L.A. vs. Seattle University, 11 a.m.
Chaminade vs. Indianapolis, 11 a.m.
Cal Poly Pomona vs. Western New Mexico, 1:30 p.m.
Cal State L.A. vs. Indianapolis, 5 p.m.
Seattle University vs. Western New Mexico, 7 p.m.
Cal Poly Pomona vs. Chaminade, 7:30 p.m.

Broncos Fall This Time In Five
Cal Poly Pomona comes up short in another lengthy battle

POMONA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team played another lengthy match, only this time the results were not nearly so good.

After winning a pair of five-game marathons in Alaska last week, the Broncos found themselves in another five-game battle Wednesday afternoon in their 2004 home opener. Seattle Pacific, though, spoiled the Broncos’ opener by rebounding for a 17-30, 28-30, 30-27, 30-19, 15-13 win in Darlene May Gym. Cal Poly Pomona (3-2) will host the 2004 Holiday Inn Select-Diamond Bar/Cal Poly Pomona Invitational beginning on Friday.

Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) had 20 kills and five blocks for the Broncos, while Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) added 18 kills and five digs. Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 48 assists and four aces.

Seattle Pacific was led by Jenna Von Moos, who recorded 12 kills and had 28 assists and Kathleen Monday, who had 10 kills, eight assists and eight digs. Von Moos also had four blocks for the Falcons (2-3).

The Broncos got off to a solid start and won the first game easily, 30-17. Seattle Pacific played much better as the match wore on, even as Cal Poly Pomona took a 2-0 lead with a 30-28 win in Game 2.

The Falcons got on the board with a close win in Game 3, 30-27, earning game point on a kill by Katie Ralph and then blitzed the Broncos in Game 4 to set up the decisive fifth game.

Seattle Pacific led for nearly the entire game, although never by more than four points. The Broncos closed to within one point on three occasions late in the game, but Seattle Pacific closed out the match on a kill by Chelsea Myers on a set by Von Moos.

Broncos Rebound To Win Two
Cal Poly Pomona beats Western State, Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday

FAIRBANKS, ALASKA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team bounced back nicely from its first loss of the 2004 season.

After falling to Findlay (Ohio) on Friday, the Broncos came back and won a pair of matches on Saturday to conclude their Alaska trip with a 3-1 record. Cal Poly Pomona swept past Western State College, 30-16, 30-24, 30-16, to open play in the Midnight Sun Invitational and then outlasted tournament host Alaska Fairbanks, 23-30, 33-31, 30-28, 28-30, 15-7 on Saturday evening.

Cal Poly Pomona won both matches against Alaska Fairbanks, which are important regional contests, in five games.

Findlay (Ohio) won all four of its matches in Alaska. The Oilers received votes in the AVCA Preseason National Top 25 poll.

The Broncos started their day on Saturday with a lopsided win over Western State. Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) led a balanced Cal Poly Pomona attack with nine kills, four blocks and 14 digs, while Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had eight kills and three service aces.

Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) had seven kills and a hitting percentage of .538. Jen Bullock (Sr., Anaheim, Eastern New Mexico) had 23 assists and two service aces, while Breezie Jordan (Jr., Ventura, Buena HS) had a career-high six aces. Antoinette Kathol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS) had six kills and three solo blocks.

In the second match, the Broncos found themselves locked in another tight battle with Alaska Fairbanks. The Broncos dropped the first game, but won a huge struggle in the second game, 33-31. Alaska Fairbanks had a game point at 29-29, but a kill by Anderson knotted things up. The teams were tied at 31-31 when kills by Francis and Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) gave the Broncos the frame.

The Broncos won the third game and, after failing to close out the match in four, won handily in the fifth.
Anderson and Francis both had 19 kills to lead another balanced attack. Defoort had 13 kills and two blocks, while Gordon had 12 kills. Anderson led the team with 16 digs, while Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 48 assists and Bullock had 12.

Broncos Drop First Match Of 2004
Cal Poly Pomona falls to Findlay (Ohio) in Alaska tourney

FAIRBANKS, ALASKA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team couldn’t string together consecutive wins to start the 2004 season.

The Broncos, who rallied for a five-game win in their season opener on Thursday, dropped a four-game decision to Findlay (Ohio), which rallied to pin a 25-30, 30-21, 30-26, 30-23 loss on Cal Poly Pomona. The Broncos (1-1) will play a pair of matches Saturday to conclude play in the Midnight Sun Invitational.

Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) had a career-high 23 kills for the Broncos and also had 15 digs. Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) added 12 kills and two blocks, while Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS) had nine kills and four blocks. Antoinette Kathol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS) led the team for the second evening in a row in blocks with five. She also had seven kills and two aces.
Breezie Jordan (Jr., Ventura, Buena HS) had a team-high 18 digs.

The Broncos started strongly and posted a 30-25 win in the first game. Cal Poly Pomona led for most of the game and, after Findlay (2-0) cut the lead to 28-25, a kill by Defoort and a block by Christian Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) closed out the frame.

After that, though, it was all Findlay, which received votes in the AVCA national Top-25 preseason poll.

The Broncos had a 9-6 lead early in Game 2, but a 6-0 run by Findlay turned the tide. Cal Poly Pomona trailed the entire way in the third game, but managed to hold a 14-13 lead in the fourth game before Findlay went on a sustained run and put the match away.

Cal Poly Pomona will play Western State (Colo) and host Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday.

Broncos Rally To Win 2004 Season Opener
Cal Poly Pomona rebounds for a big win over Alaska Fairbanks

FAIRBANKS, ALASKA -- Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s volleyball team staged a big rally to make its 2004 season opener a memorable one.

After dropping the first two games to Alaska Fairbanks, the Broncos roared back for a 28-30, 27-30, 30-26, 30-26, 15-10 victory Thursday night in the Midnight Sun Invitational. The Broncos also rallied from a 6-4 deficit in the deciding game.

Allison Anderson (Jr., Chino Hills, Ayala HS), an honorable mention All-American last season, led the Broncos with 22 kills, while Kellie Francis (Jr., Chino, Don Lugo HS) added 20 kills and 17 digs. The Broncos also got a strong effort from Breezie Jordan (Jr., Ventura, Buena HS), who had a team-high 18 digs and had a strong serving game as well. Emily Kennedy (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) had 63 assists for the Broncos.

Antoinette Kathlol (Fr., Sierra Madre, La Salle HS), in her Cal Poly Pomona debut, had five kills and nine blocks, while Elizabeth Defoort (Jr., Glendora, Citrus College) had nine kills and three blocks. Casey Riedel (So., Saugus, Saugus HS) had seven kills, while Christina Gordon (Jr., Moreno Valley, Riverside CC) added six kills.

Mallory Bergstrom, who was also an honorable mention All-American last season, had 25 kills to lead Alaska Fairbanks, while Danielle Hitzeman had 20. Dasha Capova had 59 assists.

Cal Poly Pomona trailed, 6-4, in the final game, but used a 6-0 run, fueled by three kills by Francis, to take command. After Alaska Fairbanks pulled to within 12-10, the Broncos ran off the final three points of the match.

Cal Poly Pomona will continue play in the Midnight Sun Tournament with a match against Findlay (Ohio) on Friday night. The Broncos will conclude the tourney with matches against Western State (Colo.) and Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday.

For more information on Cal Poly Pomona women's volleyball, please direct e-mail to rwegrich@csupomona.edu