Cal Poly sweeps away UCSB behind record-setting performance by Pulling
UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - Senior middle Breklyn Pulling put together one of the greatest hitting performances in program history as Cal Poly volleyball remained unbeaten in Big West play with a straight-set sweep of UC Santa Barbara (25-19, 25-13, 25-17) Thursday night at the Thunderdome.
Pulling, who missed the entire 2025 season due to a knee injury, delivered one of the most efficient performances Cal Poly volleyball has ever seen, recording 13 kills on 15 attempts with no errors for a .867 hitting percentage, resetting Cal Poly's single-match record set by Raeann Greisen against UC Davis on Sept. 19, 2017. Her mark leads the conference's 2026 match-high percentage list by 10 points and ranks as the 11th-best three-set match percentage in NCAA Division I volleyball so far this season.
The Mustangs (13-6, 9-0 Big West) never trailed in the opening set and steadily pulled away from there, closing the frame on a 9-5 stretch for a 25-19 victory. The second set followed a similar script, with Cal Poly answering an opening Gaucho point with a 7-0 surge. The lead eventually swelled to 18-4 and UCSB never threatened again, and Pulling's deadly swing closed out a 25-13 win. The decisive set was the most competitive. UCSB had the frame tied at 11-11 when Cal Poly responded with another 7-1 run before racing to a 25-17 finish.
Cal Poly hit .384 as a team (38 kills, 10 errors, 73 attempts) while holding UC Santa Barbara to .085 (31-23-94), the third Big West opponent the Mustangs have held below .100 this season. The Mustangs also owned a 9-3 advantage in total blocks, with Kayla Murdoch (one solo, three assists) and Charlotte Kelly (five assists) leading the netfront presence.
Alexis Haury enjoyed another match above 10 assists-per-set with 32 total helpers, while reigning Big West Offensive Player of the Week Emma Fredrick posted her second double-double in the last three matches with 14 kills and 10 digs. Kendall Beshear followed with eight kills, two solo blocks and an ace, and freshman defensive specialist Noe Vanacht contributed a pair of aces and three digs off the bench.
Now off to the third 9-0 start in program history, the Mustangs will defend Mott Athletics Center on Saturday at 7 p.m. to close the home-and-home series with a chance to improve to 10-0 for the first time since 2017. That season stands as Cal Poly's only unbeaten conference season in program history, as then-Head Coach Sam Crosson's Mustangs were 16-0 in the Big West.
UCSB (10-10, 6-3) was led by Gabi Martinez who had 10 kills and hit a team high .200. Cortni Youngblood led the team in digs at six. Auburn Tomkinson and Ava Zamora administered two service aces, while Milan Rex reached double-digit assists with 20.
(Cal Poly and UCSB Athletics provided the information)
