Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
16-5, 6-2BWC
UC Santa Barbara
Long Beach State Volleyball Overcomes Sloppy Start, Sweeps UCSB
10/23/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Long Beach, Calif. - Facing a 22-17 deficit in the opening set Friday night against UC Santa Barbara (6-13, 2-6 Big West), Long Beach State (16-5, 6-2 Big West) was able to rally, going on an impressive 9-2 run to win the opening game and ultimately the match, 26-24, 25-18, 25-18.
Freshman Carly Beddingfield had one of the best matches of her young career, hitting a career-best .526 on the match with a match-high 12 kills, just one shy of her career best. Beddingfield was a perfect 5-for-5 in the opening set, helping Long Beach hit .333. The 49ers finished the night hitting a solid .374 as a team.
Ashley Murray was the only other player with double-figure kills, putting down 11. That means the end of a 19-match double-digit kills streak for junior Nele Barber, dating back to the opening match of the season. Barber had eight kills on 27 swings and also added nine digs. Jenelle Hudson had another superb match against UCSB, again closing in on a triple-double. The senior setter was one kill away from pulling off the feat when these teams met earlier in the year and she was in the neighborhood again with her 36-assist, eight-kill, eight-dig performance.
Meanwhile, for the second straight match, freshman Megan Kruidhof set a new career high in digs. After putting up 14 against CSUN last Saturday, Kruidhof led tonight's match with 16 digs. Her former Lakewood High School teammate and starting libero, Sarah Miller, was also in double-figures with 12 digs.
On the UC Santa Barbara side, Phoebe Grunt and Elizabeth Sheffield each had a team-high nine kills and both hit .375 or better. Sheffield was in on a match-high three blocks, but the teams combined for only six roofs on the night.
It was an uncharacteristically sloppy start for the Beach, allowing the visitors to get out to a 7-2 lead thanks to four 49er miscues. Head coach Brian Gimmillaro took both timeouts early in the set looking to settle his team, but the Gauchos eventually opened up a 14-7 advantage on a Long Beach hitting error. Consecutive kills from Beddingfield ended what had been a 4-0 Gauchos run.
UCSB appeared primed for the 1-0 lead as they took a 22-17 advantage but the Beach stepped up its game with three straight kills from Hayley Benson, Murray and Beddingfield, pulling within 22-20 and forcing a timeout from Santa Barbara. The comeback was completed on a thunderous Murray kill in the middle to knot up the set at 23-all.
A kill down the line from Jaylen Villanueva gave the Gauchos the first set point of the night but Long Beach scored the final three points of the frame. After a UCSB error, Murray put down an overpass with authority and Kruidhof served up LBSU's first ace to take the set 26-24. The 49ers closed the set on a 9-2 run, taking their first lead on the deciding point.
The second stayed more even until a decisive 49er run swung matters in Long Beach's favor. With the Gauchos leading 16-14, LBSU went on a 7-0 run to open up a 21-16 lead. Benson chipped in a pair of kills, Lindsey Lawmaster added an ace to secure the lead and some UCSB errors also helped the cause. Hudson got to do the honors with the final kill of the frame, giving the Beach the 25-18 win. This time it was an 11-2 Long Beach State run to close the set.
The 49ers didn't leave things up to chance in the third, using a 6-0 run to break open a 12-12 game and make for a comfortable win. The Beach hit .472 in the third set, with Beddingield, Benson and Murray combining for 13 kills on just 17 swings with no errors (.765). Benson joined Barber and Hudson with eight kills, posting an impressive .571 hitting percentage.
Long Beach State returns to Walter Pyramid Saturday night to host Cal Poly at 7 p.m. The 49ers will be looking for revenge after losing in four sets back on Oct. 2 in San Luis Obispo.
