Strong Offensive Showing Powers Beach Past Lamar in Four

Friday, September 14

Long Beach, Calif.

7:00 PM

Long Beach State University

7-5

Lamar

3-7

Lamar

Long Beach State

Photo by: Photo by John Fajardo

9/14/2018 10:24:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Long Beach State posted its highest attack percentage of the season in victory

By: Lindy Zamora, Associate Athletic Communications Director

WATCH: Check out the postgame press conference as @LBSU_WVB head coach Joy McKienzie-Fuerbringer, Emma Kirst, and Hailey Harward talk about the team's four-set win over Lamar #GoBeach #LBNation

https://t.co/16JkjvbJub via @LBSUAthletics
— LBSU W. Volleyball (@LBSU_WVB) September 15, 2018

Box Score (PDF)

LONG BEACH – Three Long Beach State players reached double-figures as the Beach hit a season-best .461 to defeat Lamar, 3-1 [25-11, 25-19, 23-25, 25-9] on Friday night in the Mizuno Invitational inside the Walter Pyramid.

Long Beach State has now won four of its last five matches to improve to 7-5 on the year, while Lamar slips to 3-7.
The Beach knocked down 51 kills on 89 attacks, while committing just 10 errors for a .461 attack percentage as they were led by Hailey Harward, Kashauna Williams, and Megan Kruidhof offensively. The trio each registered 10 kills in the match as Harward hit .750 (10-1-12), Williams posted a .238 (10-5-21) attack percentage, and Kruidof had a .474 (10-1-19) clip.

While the offense clicked thanks to solid setting from Carly Aigner-Swesey and Mina Andjelkovic, who combined for 39 assists, the defense also shined as the Beach limited the Cardinals to just .066 hitting. Long Beach State was anchored by Gigi Alex at libero as she accumulated 15 digs, while Emma Kirst was stout at the net with seven blocks.

Long Beach State led Lamar in every statistical category as the Beach rolled to a four-set victory.

Long Beach State earns a 3-1 victory over Lamar! #GoBeach #LBNation pic.twitter.com/DgGlxC0EhX
— LBSU W. Volleyball (@LBSU_WVB) September 15, 2018

LBSU wasted no time getting their offense going as the Beach hit .591 (14-1-22) in the first set and jumped out in front 8-4 to start things off. From there, Long Beach State utilized an 8-0 run to break the game open taking a 21-6 advantage before cruising to a 25-11 win.

The second set saw the Beach hit .391 as the hosts continued to make a run against the Cardinals. Long Beach State led by as many as eight (12-4) in the frame before earning a 25-19 victory.

Lamar picked up its lone set win of the match in the third as the Cardinals and Beach traded points and found themselves deadlocked 13 times. With the set even at 23-all, Lamar scored back-to-back points to win the set and avoid the sweep.

The Beach were unfazed by the third set as they came out swinging in the fourth. Long Beach State hit a whopping .650 (14-1-20) in the frame and limited the Cardinal to single digits as the Beach rolled to a 25-9 victory.

Long Beach State will be back in action tomorrow to close out the Mizuno Invitational against Fresno State at 7 p.m. inside the Walter Pyramid.