Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
2-3
San Diego
3-1
49ers fall in three sets to No. 20 San Diego
8/31/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 31, 2012
Long Beach, Calif. - It had been over a year since Long Beach State had lost a match in three sets, but it happened against the same opponent, as the 49ers lost in 25-19, 25-20, 25-21 to No. 20 San Diego on Friday night.
Senior Janisa Johnson posted her third double-double of the season in the loss, leading the 49ers in both kills and digs with 13 kills and 11 digs. While the 49ers didn't allow any Toreros to reach double-figures in either kills or digs, San Diego had 12.5 blocks while hitting .220 as a team, and were helped by nine service errors by Long Beach State.
In a back-and-forth first set, the 49ers took their first lead at 14-13 on a kill from setter Tara Roenicke, and eventually moved out to a three-point lead at 16-13 after a Johnson kill, leading to a Torero timeout. The break seemed to help San Diego, however, as the Toreros scored three straight points to tie the set at 16-16, and closed out the set on a 12-3 run to take a 25-19 win.
A pair of early blocks by Chloe Ferrari and Rachel Alvey gave the Toreros an early lead at 6-4, but Long Beach State tied the set at 8-8 on a solo block from Chisom Okpala, and took the lead on a kill from Delainey Aigner-Swesey. San Diego answered with four unanswered points to take a 12-9 lead. The 49ers made one last push to within one at 18-17 and 20-19, but the Toreros again made a run, opening up a 23-19 lead and won the set.
In another set that was close early, Long Beach Statetook a 10-9 lead on a Johnson kill, part of three lead changes in the set. The Toreros scored two points off of a service error to regain the lead at 12-11, and never again trailed, even though the 49ers ade a late charge, cutting a five point lead to two at 23-21 forcing a San Diego timeout.
Long Beach State returns to the Walter Pyramid on Sunday for one more match in the Mizuno Invitational, hosting Wisconsin at 7 p.m. The 49ers also host one final neutral site match at 3 p.m., when Cal State Northridge plays James Madison.
