No. 2 seed Cal Poly 3, No. 4 seed Long Beach State

Championship Central | Box score | CP presser | LBSU presser | Photo Gallery | Game Highlights
LONG BEACH, Calif. — After a high-octane match, second-seeded Cal Poly earned the 3-1 victory over No. 4 seed Long Beach State, 3-1, in the semifinal round of The Hawaiian Islands presents the 2025 Outrigger Big West Women's Volleyball Championship. 

The Mustangs advance to their second-straight Big West Championship finale to take on top-seeded UC Davis on Saturday at 5 o'clock from LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid. The two met just once this season, a four-set decision that favored the Mutsangs back on Oct. 25 as part of CP's undefeated home run. 

Cal Poly secured the victory with set scores of 25-22, 23-25, 25-23, and 25-17. The team posted a .302 hitting percentage, led by 65 kills, 61 assists and five aces to knock the hosts out of the bracket and improve to 24-7 on the season. 

Cal Poly secured the first set 25-22 after a competitive exchange, highlighted by solid blocking and timely service aces. Chloe Leluge and Emme Bullis were instrumental, with Leluge contributing multiple kills and Bullis assisting on numerous points. Cal Poly's defense, including key blocks by Annabelle Thalken and Leluge, was effective in closing out the set.

LBSU opened the second set with a strong 4-0 lead, capitalizing on two early kills by Nieko Thomas. Despite a late rally by Cal Poly, highlighted by Thalken's three kills, the Beach maintained the edge with effective blocking, including a crucial block by Logan King and Thomas, ultimately securing the set 25-23. The Mustangs showed resilience, narrowing the gap with a series of kills from Emma Fredrick and Leluge, but fell short as Long Beach State's Rhiann Sheffie clinched the set with a final strike.

The third frame saw an impressive battle throughout with six lead changes and 12 ties as both squads hit .500 or better in the set. In the end, the Mustangs edged the Beach 25-23 in the third, overcoming a late deficit with clutch plays. Thalken contributed crucial kills throughout, including one that tied the score at 21-21, while Leluge's decisive kill gave the Mustangs a 24-23 lead. Bullis sealed the set with a kill, capitalizing on an assist from Elif Hurriyet. 

The Mustangs secured the fourth set 25-17 against the Beach, fueled by a string of decisive plays. Ella Scott's service ace and Leluge's blocking contributed to a 5-0 run, building an early advantage. Leluge recorded multiple kills from Bullis' assists, further widening the gap and ensuring the set victory.

Bullis was a key playmaker recording 51 assists, with Leluge leading the attack with 17 kills and a .533 hitting percentage. Thalken (15 kills, .382 hitting), Fredreick (15 kills, 13 digs) and Kendall Beshear (10 kills, 10 digs) made notable impacts to the stat sheet. Hurriyet led the defensive efforts with 18 digs, playing a crucial role in the back row. 

For the Beach, senior Elise Agi stood out withamassing 17 kills and 11 digs with a service ace. Setter Madi Maxwell was instrumental, distributing 39 assists and recording 19 digs,with Thomas making a defensive mark with five total blocks while adding seven kills on 12 swings and no errors to hit .583.  King contributed 13 kills and three blocks, with Sheffie tallying 11 kils with a pair of blocks in the match. The Beach close the season at 22-9.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Big West (@bigwestsports)