Harward’s Career-High Seven Aces Power Long Beach State Past Texas Tech in Five

Monday, September 3

Long Beach, Calif.

11:00 AM

Long Beach State University

4-4

Texas Tech

6-2

Texas Tech

Long Beach State

Photo by: Photo by John Fajardo

Harward’s Career-High Seven Aces Power Long Beach State Past Texas Tech in Five

9/3/2018 3:04:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Junior Hailey Harward tallied a double-double in the Beach’s 3-2 victory

By: Lindy Zamora, Associate Athletic Communications Director

Box Score (PDF)

LONG BEACH – Junior Hailey Harward had a career day on Monday as she recorded a double-double and rattled off a career-high seven aces – four of which came in the fifth set – to help lift Long Beach State past Texas Tech, 3-2 [25-17, 20-25, 25-16, 18-25, 15-13], on Labor Day inside Walter Pyramid.

Long Beach State (4-4) received several career-best efforts as the Beach used a 9-0 run, highlighted by Harward's aces, to turn a 4-0 deficit into a 9-4 lead in the fifth set. The Beach would lead the rest of the set and go on to defeat Texas Tech (6-2), 15-13, to win the match.

Harward's seven aces tie her for third in the Long Beach State single-game record book. She becomes the first LBSU player in 17 years to record seven aces in a single match, tying Brittany Hochevar who reached that feat against New Mexico in 2001.

4 aces from Harward highlight an 9-0 @LBSU_WVB run as the Beach take an 9-4 lead over Texas Tech #GoBeach #LBNation pic.twitter.com/5ZIfYjWj0g
— LBSU W. Volleyball (@LBSU_WVB) September 3, 2018

In addition to her outstanding serving, Harward also notched a double-double as she led the Beach with 16 kills and 15 digs – both of which are season highs.

Joining Harward in double-figures were teammates Kashauna Williams, who contributed 12 kills, and Emma Kirst, who tallied a career-high 11 kills on .429 hitting (11-2-21). The pair also had solid efforts at the net posting six and four blocks, respectively.

Leading the way for Long Beach State's defense was YiZhi Xue who tied her season-high with seven blocks. Meanwhile, Tyler Spriggs, Carly Hill, and Gigi Alex all joined Harward in double-figure digs. Spriggs collected a new LBSU career-best of 15, while Hill added 14, and Alex posted a career-high 11.

Piloting the offense was freshman setter Carly Aigner-Swesey who distributed 45 assists to help pace the Beach, which his .205 in the match. Aigner-Swesey narrowly missed a double-double as she added nine digs, to go along with a pair of kills, two blocks, and an ace.

Long Beach State started the match off strong as the Beach claimed the first set, 25-17, while forcing the Red Raiders into a negative attack percentage (-.027).

Texas Tech evened the match at two sets apiece after the Red Raiders managed to defeat the Beach, 25-20, in the second set. However, Long Beach State was quick to counter as the Beach earned a 25-16 win in the third behind a .306 hitting percentage (15-4-36).

The fourth set belonged to the Red Raiders as the visitors took an early lead and never relinquished it as they went on to earn a 25-18 win, forcing a fifth and deciding set.

The competitive, back-and-forth affair saw a total of 10 ties and five lead changes going into the fifth set. The final frame looked to be all Texas Tech as the Red Raiders jumped out in front of the Beach, 4-0, forcing a Long Beach State timeout.

With Harward behind the end line for the serve, Long Beach State rattled off nine straight points to erase the four-point deficit and take a five-point lead (9-4). The Beach would hold that lead for the remainder of the set despite the Red Raiders' efforts. Texas Tech managed to pull within one, 13-12, but the Beach bounded back and claimed the set and match, 15-13.

Texas Tech boasted three double-figure scorers led by Emily Hill's 17 kills. The Red Raiders also received a strong showing from Emerson Solano, who finished with 22 digs.

Long Beach State will hit the road for the Towson Invitational as the Beach take on Princeton on Thursday, September 6 at 9 a.m. (PT), before facing Towson on Friday, September 7 at 10 a.m. (PT).