Box Score: Coyotes 3, Cal Poly Pomona 1

SAN BERNARDINO -- It's been said that freshmen are no longer considered freshmen halfway through an athletic season.

If that is so, the Coyotes showed Friday night they have a pair of first-year players who have stepped up their play.

Alexandra Torline threw down a season-best 18 kills and classmate Jade Robinson added seven kills off the bench without an error as the Coyotes defeated Cal Poly Pomona 3-1 in CCAA volleyball at Coussoulis Arena.

The victory pushed CSUSB's winning streak to four consecutive and its 12th in the last 13 matches as the Coyotes bumped their record to 15-7 overall and stayed in front of the conference race at 12-2. CPP dropped to 10-11, 6-8.

CSUSB earned its 25-20, 17-25, 28-26, 25-23 victory before a crowd of 437 in a spirited match. Especially in the third set.

Both teams took a set with CSUSB going wire-to-wire in the first for the win, and CPP came right back in dominant form in the second where there was just one tie score and one lead change.

The third set was a back-and-forth battle with 11 ties and five lead changes.

Twice in the final stages, the Coyotes were on the brink of losing, but came back thanks to plays from Robinson and Torline.

Trailing 25-24, Robinson tied the set with a kill, then at 26-25 CPP, Torline came through with a kill to tie agains at 26-26.

That led to CSUSB finishing off the Broncos with an attack error from CPP and a service ace from Robinson and CSUSB led the match, 2-1.

Down 22-20, CSUSB fought for momentum and got going on a pair of attack errors from CPP to tie at 22-22.

Then, after a block from CPP's Taylr Kreutziger and Christen Wiliams, Torline had a pair of kills to put CSUSB up 24-23 with match on the line.

A bad set by CPP turned out to be the match-winner.

Junior Danielle Newcombe had 10 kills and 14 digs, and senior All-American setter Camille Smith dealt 42 assists. Sophomore libero Arielle McCullough had a match-high 25 digs.

The Broncos were led by Doerner's 16 kills.

The Coyotes return to Coussoulis Arena on Saturday when they take on Humboldt State. First serve is 7 p.m.