FRESNO, Calif. — No. 3 Fresno Pacific volleyball closed its regular season on Senior Day with a four-set brawl against No. 14 Cal Poly Pomona. The Broncos took the first two sets before the Sunbirds responded with a strong third-set performance. Cal Poly Pomona ultimately secured the match to snap FPU's winning streak this season. Despite the loss, the Sunbirds earned a share of the CCAA regular-season championship in their first year in the conference and claimed the No. 1 seed for next week's CCAA Tournament.
"Obviously, this one stings. We didn't play our best volleyball tonight, and we know there are things we could have done better," said head coach
Kelsee Montagna. "I couldn't be more proud of this group and the fight they've shown, not just tonight, but throughout this entire season. We faced some real adversity with Mik suffering a significant injury last night, and the toughness and heart she showed coming back out and competing speaks volumes about who she is as a person and a leader. She's the heartbeat of our offense, and seeing her fight for her teammates says everything about the culture we've built."
Before the match, the Sunbirds recognized the following seniors:
Morgan Castaneda,
Julia Nicolet,
Malia Edwardson,
Taylor Boone,
Amanda Lauer,
Itzel Aguayo, and
Rachel Plantinga. Through their hard work, commitment to their teammates, and passion for representing the Blue and Orange, these seniors have helped shape the culture of Fresno Pacific volleyball. The Sunbirds thank them for their impact on and off the court and wish them continued success in their next chapters.
The opening set featured a back-and-forth showdown, with the teams tied at 10 before
Morgan Castaneda and
Addisen Hamilton helped FPU take a 12-10 lead. Cal Poly Pomona responded with a run of its own, forcing a Sunbird timeout at 15-12. The 'Birds worked their way back behind a solo block from
Rylee Pitney and a combined block from
Itzel Aguayo and
Mikayla Weiss, cutting the deficit to one. A Broncos attack error tied the set at 18, and kills from
Madelyn Feramisco and Aguayo kept the teams even at 20. Aguayo continued to make an impact at the net with a solo block and a shared block with Hamilton to give FPU the advantage. The Broncos fought back to tie the set at 23, but a service error gave the Sunbirds set point. Cal Poly Pomona answered with the next two points to take the opener.
FPU looked to respond in the second set, but the Broncos jumped out to an early 7-2 lead. Hamilton and Pitney helped spark the Sunbird offense, while Weiss and Hamilton continued to find ways to attack as FPU worked to close the gap. Castaneda added a strong swing from the outside, and Aguayo capitalized on an overpass to bring the 'Birds within four at 18-14. Weiss then drew the block away with a clever play at the net, creating an opening for
Lola Highstreet to finish on the slide. Cal Poly Pomona maintained its advantage behind a strong blocking effort, reaching set point at 24-18. Feramisco added one more point for FPU, but a service error gave the Broncos the second set.
The Sunbirds came out with renewed energy in the third, as Weiss opened with a front-row attack. After the teams traded points and tied at five, Hamilton helped FPU take its first lead at 7-6. Feramisco and Pitney followed with key plays at the net, helping the Sunbirds build a 12-7 advantage. Cal Poly Pomona struggled to find its rhythm offensively, allowing FPU to extend the lead to 15-8. Pitney added consecutive solo blocks against the Broncos' back-row attacks, pushing the Sunbirds ahead 21-11. Feramisco put the finishing touch on the set as FPU claimed a 25-16 victory to force a fourth.
Malia Edwardson set the tone defensively in the opening rally of the fourth set, keeping the ball alive as the Sunbirds moved ahead 5-2. The Broncos responded to tie the score at nine, but a block from Castaneda and Pitney, followed by a Pitney kill, gave FPU an 11-9 advantage. Cal Poly Pomona regained the lead and eventually forced a Sunbird timeout at 16-13. A successful late challenge by FPU changed the score to 17-15, keeping the Sunbirds within reach. Trailing 22-18, Feramisco helped spark a late push. Castaneda followed with a swing off the block and a tip over the net to bring FPU within one at 23-22. The Broncos held on to close out the set 25-23 and take the match. The loss snapped Fresno Pacific's 24-match home winning streak, which dated back to a 3-0 victory over Academy of Art on Nov. 16, 2024. The Sunbirds' previous home loss came against Jessup on Oct. 26, 2024.
"One loss doesn't define this team or take away from everything we've accomplished. We've put ourselves in a position to compete for a conference championship and earn the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, and that doesn't happen by accident. It comes from months of hard work, sacrifice, and showing up for each other every single day."
The Sunbirds are 24-1 overall and 12-1 in CCAA play. Despite the result, Fresno Pacific finished the regular season as CCAA Co-Conference Champions with Cal State San Bernardino and secured the No. 1 seed in next week's CCAA Championships, earning a first-round bye.
"We're going to learn from this," said Montagna, "make the adjustments we need to make, and come back stronger. Adversity doesn't change our goals, it challenges us to rise to them. I'm incredibly proud of this group, and there's still so much we're fighting for."
CLICK HERE to view the CCAA Volleyball Tournament Central.
NEXT UP: Heading to the CCAA Conference Championships, Fresno Pacific will face the winner of the Cal State LA and Cal State East Bay matchup on Friday, Nov. 13, at 3 p.m. The winner of that match will advance to the championship game on Saturday, Nov. 14th at 5pm.
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