Cal Poly halts Bears momentum at UNC Classic

Friday, September 16

Greeley, Colo.

6 p.m. MT

University of Northern Colorado

5-5,0-0Big Sky

Cal Poly

2-7,0-0Big West

Cal Poly

Northern Colo.

Photo by: Dean Popejoy

9/16/2022 7:49:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score ESPN+Tickets

By: By Jason Dormeyer

UNC Athletics · VB Postgame vs. Cal Poly: Lyndsey Oates
2022 Northern Colorado Classic Schedule
Thursday, Sept. 15
6 p.m.	Northern Colorado def. Tarleton State, 3-0
Friday, Sept 16
10 a.m.	Cal Poly def. Santa Clara, 3-0
3 p.m.	Santa Clara vs. Tarleton State, 3-1
6 p.m.	Cal Poly def. Northern Colorado, 3-0
Saturday, Sept. 17
12 p.m.	Tarleton State vs. Cal Poly
6 p.m.	Northern Colorado vs. Santa Clara
Presented by:

GREELEY, Colo.—A day after a posting a win in sweeping fashion, Northern Colorado was handed a 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-20) loss by Cal Poly in the second day of action at the UNC Classic on Friday.

The Bears were held to a .156 hitting percentage in the match, their second lowest output of the season.

Northern Colorado (5-5) will close out the weekend's action inside the Bank of Colorado Arena with a 6 p.m. clash with Santa Clara University.

Tickets
Tickets for all regular-season volleyball matches are available via the UNC Athletics app, online at UNCBears.com/tickets or by calling (970) 351-4849. Tickets can also be purchased in person by visiting the Ticket Office in Campus Commons from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

SET #1
Despite falling behind by as many as four points early in the first, Northern Colorado managed to overcome the deficit and take a brief 17-16 lead following a Mia Liddiard ace. After alternating points to eventual make it a 19-19 score, Cal Poly placed a well-timed 4-0 run to claim the opener.

SET #2
The second set featured ties on an astounding 19 separate occasions. The Bears played catch-up throughout the set before rallying for a 14-12 advantage. The final tie occurred at 23-23 with Isabel Bennett striking for one of her five kills, but the Mustangs quickly bucked UNC's chance to even the match by recording the final two points for the 25-23 win.

SET #3
The Bears jumped out to a 5-1 lead thanks to an Annette Baker kill and moments later extended the advantage to 10-5 thanks to another Liddiard ace. The Mustangs, however, regrouped to even the set at 15-15 and closed out the match with an 8-3 spree.

NORTHERN COLORADO CLASSIC TEAMS

Northern Colorado
Northern Colorado enters the 2022 season as the reigning Big Sky regular season and tournament champions. The Bears are 4-4 this season with non-conference wins over Colorado State University and the University of North Carolina. UNC is led by returning All-Big Sky players Rachel Hickman and Kailey Jo Ince. Hickman is averaging 2.28 kills per set while Ince leads the team at 3.94 kills per set. Senior Makenzie Harris, the 2021 Big Sky Tournament MVP, is adding 3.41 kills per set for second on the team. Junior setter Syd Cole is orchestrating the offense and leading the Big Sky Conference with 10.50 assists per set.

Cal Poly
UNC is 1-1 all-time against Cal Poly with the most recent tilt in 2019 when the Mustangs came away with a 3-2 win. Cal Poly has lost seven straight matches to open the year with two setbacks via sweeps and two in five-set affairs. The Mustangs are led by the attacking duo of Maia Dvoracek (3.32 kps) and Tommi Stockham (3.19 kps). A redshirt freshman, the team's primary setter Emme Bullis averages 8.54 assists per set.

Santa Clara
The Broncos sport a 3-6 record in 2022 with four straight losses entering the weekend. In the only previous meeting, Santa Clara defeated the Bears, 3-1, during the 2019 season. Senior outside hitter Julia Sangiacomo not only leads the team, but paces the West Coast Conference with 4.61 kills per set, a rate good for No. 13 in NCAA DI.

Tarleton State
Thursday's match will be the first contest between the two teams. The Texans will arrive in Colorado with an 8-3 record after recording a 3-0 win over Big Sky's University of Idaho in their most recent outing. The Texans feature four different players averaging at least two kills per set: Grayson Schirpik (3.16 kps), Breanna McDonough (2.34 kps), Ailie Hair (2.32 kps), and Megan Haynes (2.28 kps).