POMONA, Calif. - California State Univeristy San Bernardino women's volleyball completed an undefeated weekend at the Bronco Classic with a 3-0 victory over No. 21 Central Washington University on Saturday morning at Kellogg Arena. Set scores were 29-27, 25-16, and 25-15.
With the victory, the Coyotes improve to 7-0 on the season after earning three wins over nationally ranked opponents in Pomona.
CSUSB built a 21-16 lead in the opening set before Central Washington scored seven of the next nine points to pull even at 23-23. The Coyotes had four opportunities at set point before the Wildcats tied the score each time. With the set even at 27-27, junior Kisa Sagiao recorded a kill before classmate McKenna Edwards ended the set with a service ace. CSUSB hit .316 with 15 kills and three errors in the 29-27 win.
The second set featured five early ties before CSUSB used a 3-0 run to take an 8-5 lead. Central Washington later cut the margin to two at 12-10, but the Coyotes gradually extended their advantage to 20-14. After the Wildcats pulled within four, CSUSB scored the final five points behind four Central Washington attack errors and a kill from junior Sarai Ross.
The Coyotes held Central Washington to five kills and eight errors for a -.081 hitting percentage in the 25-16 victory. Ross led CSUSB with five kills in the set, while the Coyotes totaled six blocks.
CSUSB never trailed in the third set, opening a 4-1 lead and extending the margin to 15-8 on a kill from senior Kacie Pedersen. The Coyotes later used a 5-1 run to move ahead 21-10, with senior M'Kera Drake contributing three kills. Ross finished the 25-15 win with her sixth kill of the set.
The Coyotes recorded 16 kills and only two errors on 37 attempts for a .378 hitting percentage in the third. Drake had six kills on six swings, while Ross added six kills on 10 attempts.
CSUSB finished with 43 kills and a .279 hitting percentage while holding Central Washington to 28 kills and a .046 mark. The Coyotes also finished with a 14-5 advantage in total blocks.
Ross led all players with 16 kills on .393 hitting and added four blocks. Drake recorded nine kills without an error on 12 attempts for a .750 hitting percentage and contributed five blocks. Pedersen finished with 10 kills, 13 digs and three service aces, while senior Allison Legates had a match-high six blocks.
Junior Jaiden Van Horn recorded 20 assists, while Edwards added 12 assists and eight digs. Sophomore libero Saniyah Sobers tied Pedersen for the team lead with 13 digs.
The Yotes will return home Friday to open CCAA play against San Francisco State at 5 p.m. at Kim Cherniss Court at Coussoulis Arena.
