POMONA, Calif. — The comeback Humboldt State Lumberjacks overcame big deficits in the first two sets and weathered two bad middle sets, before they rallied past the Broncos of Cal Poly Pomona with the match's final six points to take a 3-2 volleyball victory (27-25, 27-25, 19-25, 14-25 and 15-8) Friday night.
 
Humboldt State trailed by seven points in the first set and five points in the second set, before it rallied to finish off wins. Cal Poly Pomona rebounded for the next two sets out of intermission, bit it was HSU's night in the end. The Jacks netted the final six points of the match-deciding fifth set for the win.
 
"Tonight, our players showed some serious heart. We were down by a lot in the second set and pulled it out behind some very tough serving from Nicole Bewley," said HSU Head Coach Kelly Wood. "Our passing in the third and fourth sets was as bad as I've ever seen, but we forgot about it in the fifth and we took it to them. Everyone stepped up their game in the fifth and we got the win, which we really needed."
 
For the fifth time in six opportunities, HSU (16-7/13-6 California Collegiate Athletic Association) posted a victory following a loss. No. 18 Cal State San Bernardino swept the North Coast team, 3-0, Thursday night. The Jacks' victory was also the first win on the Broncos' home Kellogg Gymnasium floor in nine matches and completed the season sweep between the teams. Cal Poly Pomona fell to 13-9 overall and 11-8 in the CCAA.
 
Despite not having a huge statistical night, Bewley made her production count. The junior downed two of her three kills and two of her team-high five blocks as part of HSU's scoring the final six points of the fifth set to end the match. The Sacramento, Calif., native added two service aces on 22 service attempts and dug nine attacks.
 
Kaitlyn Dunaway paced the HSU attack with her fifth double-double, 14 kills and 12 digs, in the last eight matches. She also recorded an ace.
 
Kat Rifilato contributed her own pair of service aces on 18 service tries. The outside hitter/setter had 22 assists, nine digs, seven kills and three block assists.
 
Symone Hayden posted her own double-double of 10 kills and 11 digs. Alex Hasenstab lined 10 kills, hit .346 and was in on one block, while Ashley Owen chipped in eight kills and seven digs.
 
Erin Mitchell led with 24 assists and Haley Biles dug 20 Bronco attacks.
 
In the first set, Cal Poly Pomona went out to an early 11-4 lead. The home advantage continued at 17-12, before the Broncos had a service error and three-straight attack errors to make it 17-16.
 
HSU fought off three set points. Down 25-24, Hayden, Dunaway and Hasenstab hit back-to-back-to-back kills to end the set and gave HSU a 27-25 win.
 
Behind by as many as five points, the Jacks equaled their late rally success in the second set. HSU trailed 24-20 and faced set point. The visitors rattled off the next four points for a 24-24 deadlock. Trailing 25-24, Rifilato killed the next point, served an ace on the following point and set up Owen for the set-winning kill, 27-25.
 
After intermission, the Broncos scored four points in a row to build a 19-13 third set lead and never lost it for a 25-19 win.
 
Cal Poly Pomona tied the match at two sets apiece in the fourth set. The host team scored nine-straight points to open a 22-12 advantage, before it finished a 25-14 win.
 
HSU completes its three-match in three-night road trip Saturday. The Jacks play at the Tritons of UC San Diego in a 7 p.m. first serve.