Long Beach State University Athletics
49ers Escape Northridge with 3-1 win
11/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
49ers Leave Northridge with 3-1 Victory
NORTHRIDGE, CA – Alexis Crimes had 20 kills and Brian Gimmillaro reached career win No. 599 after Long Beach State's 3-1 victory over the CS Northridge Matadors on Thursday night in the Matadome. Game scores were 30-18, 30-27, 32-34, 30-28. The 49ers improved to 21-5, 11-2 Big West, while CS Northridge fell to 15-11, 6-6 Big West. Mischa Hasalikova posted 12 kills, Mariko Crum contributed 11 kills and 10 digs for her first double-double of the season, and Dyanne Lawlor and Robin Miramontes had 10 kills each to highlight the statistical kill leaders for The Beach. Iris Murray had a team-high 19 digs, with Talaya Whitfield right behind her with 18 scoops. Cynthia Buggs had 10 digs as well. The 49ers hit .325 for the night and posted 73 total digs and out-blocked CSUN, 12-4. Angela Hupp led the Matadors with a career-best 22 kills in the losing effort. Northridge committed 14 service errors on the evening. Long Beach State used the hot hitting by Crimes for and advantage and the 30-18 victory in game one. The 49ers jumped out to a 10-4 lead after an Iris Murray service ace, before opening up an eight point lead, 23-18 on a Hasalikova kill. The 49ers went on a 7-3 run the rest of the way to capture the victory. Defense dictated play in the second stanza as Long Beach State edged out the Matadors, 30-27. Just like game one, LB built a 10-4 lead after a CSUN attack error, and led by six, 16-10 on another Matador attack error. However CS Northridge slowly chipped away at the lead with good back row play and timely kills to find themselves down 22-20 on a Hupp kill. The Beach responded yet again and refused to let the lead slip as a Crimes kill coupled with another CSUN attack error gave LBSU the three-point win. The Matadors responded in game three with a 34-32 win to force a fourth game. The 49ers had match points at 29-28, 30-29, and 31-30, but could not seal the deal for the game victory. Northridge rallied to take a 33-32 lead on a ball handling error and closed out The Beach on a Hilary Brinkman kill. The 49ers and Matadors battled back and forth in a grueling fourth set, before Long Beach State pulled out the 30-28 victory. LB unlocked a 25-25 tie with a 3-0 run, capped off by a Matador attack error, to take a 28-25 lead. CSUN rallied to trim the deficit to 29-28, before a Crum kill ended the game and sealed the victory for LBSU. Long Beach State travels to Pacific on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 7 pm. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
