Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
13-5, 3-2
Pacific
10-7, 3-3
49ers dig way past Pacific in five sets
10/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 9, 2010
Long Beach, Calif. - Long Beach State dropped two tight sets, won two blowouts, and recovered from a fifth set deficit to defeat Pacific Saturday night 25-19, 23-25, 25-14, 23-25, 15-11. Lauren Minkel had 32 digs for Long Beach State, while Ashley Lee added 11 as Long Beach State made 100 digs, the eighth-most in school history.
Down 5-2 in the fifth set, the 49ers fought their way back to a 7-7 tie, and a kick ball saved by Lauren Minkel set up Janisa Johnson for a key point as Long Beach State took an 8-7 lead that it never relinquished. Haleigh Hampton had four kills on .800 hitting in the final set to pace the 49ers to the win.
With the win, the 49ers improve to 13-5 overall and 3-2 in the Big West, and move right back into the hunt for the league title. The 49ers hit .249 overall, but it was the defense that led the way as Minkel paced the 49ers but five players had double-digit digs, including Janisa Johnson and Caitlin Ledoux who each finished with double-doubles. Lee also had a double-double, handing out 54 assists, one off of her career-high.
Long Beach State took a quick 6-3 lead in set one after a Delainey Aigner-Swesey kill, but the Tigers kept hanging around, and eventually tied the set at 13-13 after a Rebekah Torres ace. A block by Samantha Misa and Gabby Cowden put the Tigers in front briefly at 15-14, but Long Beach State hit Haleigh Hampton to retake the lead at 18-17. Pushing to 20-17 with a Janisa Johnson ace, The Beach took the set 25-18 after a solo block by Caitlin Ledoux.
In set two, it was the Tigers that grabbed an early lead, but Long Beach State fought back to retake the lead at 13-12 after back-to-back Aigner-Swesey kills. The teams traded sideouts, until Pacific regained the lead at 19-18. Tied at 22-22, Pacific scored two straight, and then hit Misa for a kill to win the set 25-23.
Out of the break, Long Beach State hit Ledoux early as part of a quick run to take a 6-1 lead. The 49ers continued to push, winning a pair of spectacular rallies, eventually hitting Johnson for a kill at 16-7 leading to a Pacific timeout. Long Beach State cruised the rest of the way, taking a 25-14 win in set three.
Pacific opened a 7-3 lead in set four, using a couple of early 49er miscues. Long Beach State cut the lead to one point a number of times, but the Tigers maintained the lead and extended it to 16-11 with a solo block from Cowden. The 49ers scored three straight to cut the lead to two at 18-16, and a solo block by Hampton cut the lead to one at 20-19. Long Beach State tied the set at 21-21, but trailing 24-23, an attack from Johnson rolled along the net and came up just short as the Tigers won 25-23.
The 49ers stay at home to start next week's action, hosting UC Irvine on Friday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. before hitting the road to face UC Riverside on Saturday.
