Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
8-5, 7-3
Pepperdine
5-7, 3-7
49ers sweep No. 9 Pepperdine in MPSF action
2/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
Feb. 23, 2011
Long Beach, Calif. - No. 6 Long Beach State was in control in every facet of the game on Wednesday night, sweeping No. 9 Pepperdine by a score of 25-13, 25-22, 25-17. Junior Brad Hemmerling had a huge night with 16 kills, six more than his previous career high to lead the 49ers.
On the night, the 49ers hit .359 overall, led by Hemmerling, who was also the most efficient hitter for Long Beach State at .625 overall with just one error on 24 swings. Jim Baughman also hit .429 with 11 kills.
Long Beach State was totally in command in the first set. Opening quickly, the 49ers took a 7-2 lead behind a Baughman ace along with a block from Taylor Crabb and Antwain Aguillard. The 49ers continued to push, leading 11-3 when Pepperdine called its second timeout of the first set. A pair of Hemmerling back-row attacks, kept Long Beach State rolling, and the 49ers closed out the set at 25-13, hitting a scoring .500 while holding Pepperdine to .069 hitting in the first set.
Crabb ended a long rally to maintain a 6-5 to start the second set, and Hemmerling added a kill of an overpass to put Long Beach State ahead 9-7, the first two-point lead of the set. Two Pepperdine attack errors gave the 49ers a 13-9 lead, and Long Beach State reached 15 points without an attack error to pick up a commanding lead.
The Waves slowly pulled back into the set as the 49ers perfect hitting ended, cutting the lead to one at 18-17 after the second of two straight 49er errors. Out of a 49er timeout, Long Beach State picked up a side out, and after an outstanding defensive cover, opend up a 23-20 lead. Pepperdine scored two points to bring the lead back within one, but kills by Baughman and Hemmerling closed out the set for Long Beach State 25-22.
Pepperdine started the third set with their first two-point lead of the match, taking a 5-3 lead. Pepperdine eventually took a three-point lead at 9-6, but the 49ers rallied to tie the set with a Hemmerling kill out of the back row. A Pepperdine error gave the 49ers the lead at 13-12, and Long Beach State continued to push, hitting a three-point lead at 17-14 after a Baughman kill and taking a 21-15 lead on the way to the win.
The 49ers return to action this Friday, when Long Beach State hosts No. 1 USC at 7 p.m. Long Beach State will also honor the program's 1991 National Championship team during that match.
