November 3, 2007

Cal Poly sweeps Fullerton, remains in first
Atherstone has 15 kills one week after injury

It appears Kylie Atherstone is going to be OK.

The Mustangs’ star junior opposite hitter had 15 kills Saturday night after suffering a sprained right ankle in a 3-1 home win over UC Davis on Oct. 27. In the team’s first match since then, a 3-0 victory at Cal State Fullerton, she came back with a team-high 15 kills, nine digs and five block assists, although hitting just .171.

“She wasn’t able to practice much this week,” Cal Poly head coach Jon Stevenson said. “To lead us in kills again shows that she was the key to our offense. In my mind, she’s just running away with (Big West Conference) Player of the Year.

“I’m glad to say that she’s going to be healthy. She has a chance to really come on strong at the end. She has a really valid shot at being a first-team All-American.”

The first and third games Saturday were a little closer than Stevenson wanted, but the 23rd-ranked Mustangs still swept 32-30, 30-20, 30-27. More importantly, Cal Poly (17-7, 11-1 Big West) appears on its way to a second straight conference title with three of its final four matches at home.

“We didn’t play our best, but we were able to make plays when we had to,” said Stevenson, who praised the play of Dominique Olowolafe. “(Olowolafe) played a really nice match and had key blocks.”

Olowolafe, a freshman middle blocker, had eight kills and no errors, hit .571 and added four block assists.

Ali Waller had nine kills, Jaclyn Houston eight kills and Chelsea Hayes 41 assists for the Mustangs, who had four players in double-digit digs.