49ers Down UCI

Friday, January 4

Santa Barbara, Calif.

1:00 PM

Long Beach State University

1-0

USC

0-1

Long Beach State

Southern California

1/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

49ers Roll Past Anteaters
Bittner and Alexander Key Offense
January 5, 2008

MEN'S VOLLEYBALL	1	2	3	4	5	FINAL	RECORDS
Long Beach St.	30	30	30	-	-	3	2-0
UC Irvine	25	27	27	-	-	0	1-2
Long Beach State Kill Leaders: Dean Bittner 17, Dan Alexander 12 UCI Kill Leader: Jon Steller 11
BOX SCORE

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Sophomore Dean Bittner had 17 kills and fellow sophomore Dan Alexander added 13 as the tenth-ranked Long Beach State men's volleyball team took third place at the UCSB Elephant Bar Collegiate Invitational with a convincing 30-25, 30-27, 30-27 win over fifth-ranked UC Irvine. The 49ers improve to 2-0 on the season while UCI falls to 1-2. The 49ers match on Friday night against Alberta, a four-game loss, did not count on the overall record.

Long Beach hit .355 (52-19-93) in the match while limiting the Anteaters to a .279 (40-16-86) hitting percentage. Freshman setter Mike Klipsch dished out 46 assists and recorded two service aces. The 49ers had seven aces in the match. Bittner hit .419 (17-4-31) and Alexander an impressive .800 (13-1-15). Senior Paul Lotman added 10 kills and five digs. Both Bittner and Alexander recorded three blocks in the match. Defensively, Dustin Watten led The Beach with six digs.

Jon Steller led UC Irvine with 11 kills and Alex DaPron added eight.

The 49ers will next be in action on Thursday, January 10 and Friday, January 11 when they travel across the Pacific Ocean for two matches with the University of Hawai'i. Both matches will begin at 9 pm Pacific Time.