Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
21-4 (10-2>
Cal Poly
13-10 <8-4>
Herzog Leads 49er Rally At Cal Poly
11/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 8, 2008
San Luis Obispo, Calif. - Junior Brittney Herzog helped the 49ers turn a set to forget into a night to remember as Long Beach State rallied to top Cal Poly 13-25, 25-20, 17-25, 25-21, 15-10. Herzog was the key hitter throughout the match for The Beach, hitting .609 with a career-high 16 kills.
Herzog was the key member for the 49ers on the night. The 49ers set her early and often as she took 23 swings and converted on 16 of them with two errors, hitting .609 and adding five blocks. Combined with Naomi Washington's 10 kills, the 49er middles combined for half of the team's kills on the night.
Late digging and blocking for The Beach also helped turn things around, as libero Iris Murray finished the match with 19 digs and freshman Lauren Minkel contributed 10.
Helping the Mustangs out with 10 attack errors in set one, Cal Poly jumped out to a 11-5 lead and won set one 25-13 in complete control, as the 49ers struggled early. The Beach bounced back in the second set, however, taking a 13-8 lead after Herzog returned an overpass. Long Beach State continued to hold on to the lead, as a Vargas ace stymied a small Mustang rally and the 49ers evened the match with a 25-20 win.
Set three marked a return to form for Cal Poly, as the Mustangs hit .393 with 15 kills, taking the first four points and never giving up the lead in a 25-17 win in set three.
Again, the Long Beach State resolve showed in the fourth set. Rebounding from the poor defense in the third, the 49ers outhit and outdug the Mustangs in the fourth to tie the match. The 49ers opened up a 15-9 lead, but Cal Poly answered with a run of their own, tying the set at 16-16. Cal Poly would eventually take their first lead of the set, but Long Beach State hit Washington to tie the set at 21, and would take a 23-21 lead on the way to a 25-22 win.
The set five roller coaster began with poor serving from both teams, as between them the six of the first seven points were service aces. Settling down, Long Beach State took a 5-3 lead but Cal Poly got to the turn first, utilizing two blocks to take an 8-5 lead in the final set. Hailey Fithian's service error gave the 49ers a sideout, and Long Beach State took advantage of the momentum shift.
Two errors from Cal Poly tied the fifth set at 8-8, and a Caitlin Ledoux put the 49ers in the lead with a kill. Cal Poly earned a sideout, but then a 12th service error from the Mustangs gave Long Beach State the lead for good. Two points on service for The Beach put the 49ers ahead 12-9, and a Cat Highmark kill from the back row sent the game to match point, where a Kylie Atherstone error ended it.
Long Beach State returns home in a quick turnaround for two matches next week. The 49ers will host UC Irvine at home on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. before playing UC Riverside the next night in the final two home conference matches for the 49ers.
