Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
4-0, 1-0MPSF
California Baptist
3-2, 0-2MPSF
Beach Tops Cal Baptist in MPSF Opener, 3-1
1/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
LONG BEACH - Freshman TJ DeFalco's 21 kills and six aces lifted the third-ranked Long Beach State men's volleyball team to a 3-1 win over Cal Baptist in its MPSF and home opener Friday evening at the Walter Pyramid. Set scores were 25-16, 22-25, 25-12, 25-18.
DeFalco registered a season-high 21 kills on .432 hitting and just missed a double-double with nine digs. He also finished with six aces, which is tied for third in LBSU's single-match history.
Junior Bryce Yould added 13 kills on 16 swings for a career-best .750 clip. He also had a match-high six block assists. Senior Taylor Gregory contributed six kills and still has not committed an error this season as he is hitting .735 on the year (25-0-34).
Freshman Josh Tuaniga guided the offense to a .360 attack percentage with 47 assists, while junior Andrew Sato picked up a season-high 12 digs.
"I thought at times we played pretty well," head coach Alan Knipe said. "There were some inconsistencies and lapses in attention to detail, which is something all teams have to get through, but there were certainly a lot of good things that we did offensively. I think the guys were just fired up to play their first match in the Pyramid and to get an MPSF match under their belts."
Long Beach State (4-0, 1-0 MPSF) raced out to a 3-0 lead as it started the opening set with back-to-back kills from freshman Kyle Ensing and one from DeFalco. Cal Baptist chipped away and took its first advantage of the night at 7-6, but the Beach responded with an 8-3 run to pull ahead, 15-9. The 49ers cruised the rest of the way with a double block from Ensing and Yould eventually giving them the 25-16 victory.
LBSU hit .423 and had four aces in the first set. DeFalco led the way with six kills, four digs and two aces.
The Lancers (3-2, 0-2 MPSF) scored the first two points of the second set and proceeded to go on top, 8-4. Long Beach State then got kills from Gregory and DeFalco to cut the deficit to two, but CBU put together a 6-2 spurt to take a 14-8 lead, forcing the home team to call a timeout. The break in action favored the 49ers as they accounted for the next three points. Cal Baptist stayed out front, however, and pushed its advantage back to five before holding off a late LBSU rally for the 25-22 win.
The Beach regrouped in the third frame where it held an early 7-2 edge following three-straight kills from DeFalco. Long Beach State continued to roll, going up 14-4 on a Yould kill. The 49ers never let up as they made a statement with a 25-12 victory.
LBSU never trailed in set four as Yould started the action with a pair of kills. CBU was able to stay within two until the Beach went on an 8-2 run, capped by DeFalco's 21st kill of the night, to go up, 15-8. Long Beach State eventually took set point at 24-14 and after the Lancers held off four match points, a CBU service error ended it at 25-18.
Rohit Paul paced Cal Baptist with 10 kills and two aces.
Long Beach State is back in the Walter Pyramid tomorrow night when it plays host to No. 13 USC. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
NOTES: Long Beach State won its MPSF opener for the third year in a row ... TJ DeFalco posted LBSU's first 20-kill match this season ... His six aces were also the most by a 49er since Jim Polster also had six on April 3, 2001 ... The Beach finished with a season-best nine aces and is now averaging 1.9 per set ... Long Beach State has hit better than .300 in each of its first four matches.
