Long Beach State University
4-4
College of Charleston
8-1
49ers Win Again, Upend College of Charleston 3-1
9/13/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 13, 2013
Long Beach, Calif. - Senior Delainey Aigner-Swesey had a big night, finishing with 16 kills and 15 digs, and the 49ers followed her lead in a 25-14, 25-19, 25-27, 25-21 over previously unbeaten College of Charleston on Friday night. Aigner-Swesey recorded her fifth double-double of the season in the win.
Aigner-Swesey led a strong offensive attack for the 49ers, who finished hitting .252 as Erin Juley made 46 assists on the night to go with four kills on offense. Long Beach State (4-4) also outblocked the College of Charleston (8-1)10 to eight, with Chisom Okpala leading the way with six blocks to go along with 10 kills. Sophomore Alex Reid also finished in double-figures for the 49ers with 12 kills on the evening.
Long Beach State opened up an early 8-4 cushion in the first set, and continued to push out to a five point lead at 15-10. A big Bre Mackie kill opened up the 49ers lead to 17-11, and Long Beach State rolled to a 25-14 victory in set one, hitting .346 while holding College of Charleston to negative hitting at -.038.
Set two was much closer, but the 49ers ultimately pulled away in the end with a big push. College of Charleston took an early lead at 7-5, but Long Beach State rallied to regain the lead at 10-9, and pushed a two-point edge at 12-10 with a Makaylor Taylor ace. Leading 17-16, Long Beach State picked up a sideout, and pushed all the way to a 24-16 lead behind a pair of Okpala blocks and a kill from the junior middle blocker. The 49ers closed out the set with a 25-19 win.
The 49ers looked to end things early, opening up a 10-5 lead in the third set, but the College of Charleston fought back, pulling to within out at 10-9 and holding close from there. A miss from Aigner-Swesey allowed the Cougars to take the lead at 19-18. Long Beach State had one more answer, taking a 22-20 lead, but the Cougars scored three straight points to take a service edge. The 49ers held off three set points, two coming on Joy Miley kills, but the College of Charleston took the third set 27-25.
Both teams traded leads early, but Reid and Miley combined for a block to give the 49ers an 11-9 edge, and Mackie and Miley followed with another block to push out to a 12-9 lead. The College of Charleston was able to tie the set at 17-17, but a Juley kill held on the lead for the 49ers, and Long Beach State pushed out to a 22-20 lead, forcing the Cougars into a timeout. The 49ers pushed one more point before a sideout, and Aigner-Swesey's 16th kill of the evening finished off the match with a 25-21 set four win.
The 49ers will try to finish the weekend with a third win Saturday as the team hosts Seattle at 7 p.m. in the Walter Pyramid.
