Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
5-2
San Francisco
5-1
The Beach Blocks Its Way To An Undefeated Weekend
9/6/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Freshman Ashley Murray entered the Beach record books and the Long Beach State women's volleyball team blocked its way to a 3-1 win over the University of San Francisco on Saturday. The Beach (5-2) won its fifth match in a row and recorded 21 blocks in the 25-19, 25-21, 23-25, 25-13 win to complete a perfect week at the Mizuno Invitational.
Murray had her hands on 10 block assists and a solo block to pace the big block put up by the Beach. Murray's 11 total blocks completed the freshman's first career double-double as she also had 11 kills on .450 hitting. She was also named to the All-Tournament team.
LBSU's 32 block assists as a team also ranks seventh all-time. The 49ers recorded the same number in last year's five-set match at San Francisco.
Tournament MVP Alex Reid put together one of her best matches of the young season with 16 kills on .400 hitting to go along with nine digs and five blocks. Joy Miley had 10 kills and seven blocks while All-Tournament selection Bre Mackie pitched in nine kills and seven blocks.
The Beach block popped up early with nine of the 21 blocks coming in the first set. While turning away nine attacks, LBSU held the Dons (4-1) to a negative hitting percentage. A scorching Beach attack led the way in the second set with LBSU hitting .333 in the set and holding USF to a .152 hitting percentage.
USF didn't go quietly as they jumped out in front early and surged late to narrowly avoid the sweep. Down 15-10, Long Beach State scored five consecutive points on blocks to even the score. Katarina Pilepic scored six of her team-high nine kills in the third and Jessica Gaffney added in five of her nine for the Dons. Gaffney's final two kills led the Dons out of a 23-22 hole and to a 25-23 win.
The Beach came out in the fourth with a new sense of urgency and scorched a .412 hitting percentage while putting up four more blocks to run away with the set.
Tyler Jackson led the back row with 24 digs in the match while Jenelle Hudson was just shy of a double-double with 46 assists, nine digs and three kills.
The Beach is back in action next weekend with four more matches in Walter Pyramid, starting with a 7 p.m. matchup against LMU at 7 p.m.
Long Beach State Mizuno Invitational
MVP: Alex Reid, Long Beach State
All-Tournament
Bre Mackie, LBSU
Ashley Murray, LBSU
Kiara McKibbon, USF
Valentina Zaloznik, USF
Mary Crema, Campbell
Nicole Perri, Army
