Carson, CA -- Senior Courtney Spainhour (Redondo Beach, CA/El Camino CC) hammered home the final three Toro points of the match in the deciding 5th game to give CSUDH a thrilling 30-22, 13-30, 22-30, 31-29, 15-10 win over visiting Cal Poly Pomona as the Toros swept the regular season series from CPP afer taking another 5-game thriller in Pomona on September 15. With the win, CSUDH improves to 8-14, 5-11 CCAA, while CPP falls to 7-14, 4-12 CCAA.
The Toros started fast in game one, taking 10 of the first 12 points of the match behind 4 kills in the frame from Sophia Lopes (Los Angeles, CA/Santa Monica City College). Cal Poly Pomona would narrow its deficit to 18-12 on a Toro ball handling error, but CSUDH again would extend its lead to 24-14 behind a CPP attack error. After the two teams split the next 10 points to give the Toros a 29-19 lead, the Broncos rattled off 3 points before a Bronco attack error gave CSUDH a 30-22 game one win.
The Broncos came out on fire in game two, using their block to bolster a nearly flawless offensive performance, tallying a .520 hitting percentage and 16 block assists. After taking a slim 7-4 lead on one of six Antoinette Kathol kills in the game, CPP outscored CSUDH 19-6 for a commanding 28-12 cushion, before putting the game away on a Toro attack error.
After using a .433 to .286 hitting advantage behind 7 kills on 9 swings by Kathol to take a 30-22 decision in game three, the two teams staged an epic game 4 battle as they tied on 11 occasions before Randi Johnson (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA/Campbell University) gave the Toros the 31-29 win with one of her 8 kills on the night, the last courtesy of a Tiffany Bull (Lake Los Angeles, CA/Antelope Valley College) assist.
Both teams came out ready for game five, tying four times before the Toros took the lead for good at 8-6 on a CPP error. After notching 3 more points for an 11-8 lead, CSUDH halted its own momentum with an attack error, but quickly regained the edge on a Timary More (Torrance, CA/El Camino CC) kill, and two by Spainhour to give the Toros match point at 14-9. CPP's Natalia Gonzalez gave the Broncos a reprieve with one of her 14 kills, but Spainhour fittingly was the Toro of the hour in game five as her final putaway of the night put the match away, and gave CSUDH a series season sweep of the Broncos.
Lopes finished the match with 16 kills, while Spainhour and Arreana Peoples (West Covina, CA/John A. Rowland HS) added 13 and 10, respectively. Libero Maria Miranda (Lakewood, CA/Cerritos CC) tallied 14 digs to lead CSUDH, while Spainhour notched 11 digs to give her Toros' lone double-double on the night. CPP's Kathol led all hitters with 21 kills and a .621 hitting percentage, while the Broncos dominated the net to the tune of 17.0. blocks to CSUDH's 9.0.
The Toros continue CCAA play on Wednesday, October 25, as they host No. 12-ranked UC San Diego, with first serve scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start in the Torodome.
