Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
22-9
UCLA
24-8
Beach Volleyball falls in first round at UCLA
12/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Dec. 4, 2009
Los Angeles, Calif. - Facing a rematch of a regular-season matchup against the Bruins in the NCAA tournament, the 49ers found themselves on the opposite side of the result in a 25-20, 25-20, 25-16 loss in the first round at UCLA. Eight UCLA aces helped the Bruins defeat the 49ers in three sets.
Kaitlin Sather tied with Dicey McGraw, as each finished with 12 kills for the Bruins. The Bruins outhit the 49ers overall, with UCLA outpacing the Long Beach State.290 to .178. For Long Beach State, Naomi Washington led the 49ers with nine kills, while Caitlin Ledoux added eight kills and 11 digs.
Trailing early in the first set, Long Beach State broke even with the Bruins at 5-5 and then the 49ers took their first lead at 7-6 after a block by Ledoux and Ashley Lee. UCLA quickly regained the lead at 8-7 after a Katie Camp ace, and used another ace by Lauren Cook to take a three-point lead at 11-8. A Libby Fontanilla brought the 49ers within one at 14-13, but a Kaitlin Sather kill finished a UCLA push out to 18-14 on the way to a Bruins 25-20 victory.
The 49ers were out in the lead early in set two, with a Ledoux kill giving The Beach a 6-3 lead. Sather brought the Bruins even with a kill for an 8-8 tie, and Dicey McGraw picked up an ace to give the Bruins an 11-9 lead. Long Beach State stayed close through a 15-15 tie, but three straight points including another ace gave the Bruins a lead they would hold for the rest of the set on the way to a 25-20 win.
In the final set, a Lee dump gave Long Beach State a 9-7 lead, but UCLA made a quick run to take a 12-10 lead after a Sather kill. From there, the Bruins controlled the momentum, opening a 22-15 lead and taking a 25-16 win on .348 hitting.
With the loss, Long Beach State finishes the season with an overall record of 22-9 following the team's 23rd consecutive NCAA appearance. The team will have a banquet celebrating the 2009 Big West Championship season and the team's two seniors, Naomi Washington and Brittney Herzog on December 14, 2009. The free portion of the event begins at 6 p.m. in the Walter Pyramid, and will be followed by a paid dinner at Spaghettini's Bar and Grill in Seal Beach.
