Friday, November 25
Long Beach, Calif.
7:00 PM
Long Beach State University
vs
UC Davis
Photo by: John Fajardo
LBSU Women’s Volleyball Closes out the Season Hosting UC Davis, UC Riverside
11/23/2022 9:22:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Beach will take on UC Davis on Friday night, before closing the season against UC Riverside on Saturday night
LONG BEACH (17-9, 12-6) vs. UC DAVIS (14-14, 9-9)
Date: Friday, Nov. 25
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Long Beach, Calif.
Venue: Walter Pyramid
Live Stats: BeachLiveStats.com
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Matt Brown
Twitter: @LBSUWVB
Tickets: www.LongBeachState.com
LONG BEACH (17-9, 12-6) vs. UC RIVERSIDE (4-23, 2-16)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 26
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Long Beach, Calif.
Venue: Walter Pyramid
Live Stats: BeachLiveStats.com
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Matt Brown
Twitter: @LBSUWVB
Tickets: www.LongBeachState.com
COMPLETE LBSU MATCH NOTES (PDF)
LBSU Women's Volleyball Closes out the Season Hosting UC Davis, UC Riverside
As the final week of the 2022 women's volleyball regualr season approaches, Long Beach State prepares to host a pair of matches at the Walter Pyramid. The Beach first welcomes UC Davis to the 'Mid on Friday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. The next night, LBSU will face UC Riverside on senior night on Saurday, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m.
Catch All The Action
Both Long Beach State matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans can sign up for ESPN+ for $5.99 per month ($59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com, or on the ESPN App. It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu for $13.99 per month (Hulu with ads) or $19.99 per month (Hulu without ads).
Staying Social
Follow Long Beach State women's volleyball on Instagram and Twitter at @LBSUWVB respectively. Fans can stay up-to-date on all things Long Beach State by following @LBSUAthletics via Twitter. Be sure to "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram at @LBSU.
About the Beach
• Long Beach State brings a 17-9 overall record into the final week of the regular season.
• The Beach are 13-6 in Big West action as they sit in fourth place in the standings.
• Long Beach is 10-1 when playing at the Walter Pyramid, with the Beach's only home loss coming to Hawaii in four sets on October 1.
• Against UC Riverside, Long Beach State will recognize its three seniors in Dylan Dela Cruz, Victoria O'Sullivan, and Callie Schwarzenbach following the match.
• As a team, the Beach are averaging 13.27 kills per set, while hitting .218 on the year. Additionally, the Beach are averaging 12.37 assists per set.
• Defensively, the Beach have racked up 14.43 digs per set and 2.11 blocks per set, to go along with 1.29 service aces per set on the season.
• Earlier this season, Long Beach State strung together nine-straight victories, marking the program's longest winning streak since 2014.
• This season, Long Beach State has boasted four Big West Players of the Week in Morgan Chacon, Dylan Dela Cruz, Zayna Meyer, and Jaylen Jordan. Meyer is a five-time winner at both Setter (four times) and Freshman of the Week, while Dela Cruz is a three-time winner at Defensive Player of the Week.
• In his first year at the helm, Tyler Hildebrand revamped the Beach bringing in a whole new coaching staff featuring assistant coaches Cursty Le Roux and Kim Hill, while also adding volunteer assistant coach Jordan Molina to the mix.
Scouting UC Davis
• UC Davis comes into the final week of the regular season with a 14-14 overall record and a 9-9 Big West ledger.
• The Aggies have moved into sixth place in the Big West standings after winning their last three matches against CSU Bakersfield (3-0), UC Santa Barbara (3-2), and CSUN (3-1).
• The Aggies have been playing very well as of late. UC Davis has won five of their last six matches, with their only loss during that run coming against Cal Poly in five sets.
• As a team, UC Davis is averaging 11.77 kills per set, while hitting .198. The Aggies are averaging 10.63 assists per set.
• Defensively, Davis has logged 14.02 digs per set, while putting up 2.20 blocks per set, and 1.45 service aces per set.
• Demari Webb is the Aggies' leading scorer with 2.72 kills per set. Right behind her are Josephine Ough (2.46 kills per set) and Olivia Utterback (2.30 kills per set).
• Ough also leads the team with 1.12 blocks per set.
• At setter, Casi Newman has paced the offense with 981 assists to average 8.84 assists per set to go along with 1.83 digs per set, and 0.40 kills per set on a .362 clip.
• Shira Lahav is UC Davis' libero as she has logged 455 digs in the backrow this season to average 4.10 digs per set.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Aggies
Long Beach State and UC Davis will face each other for the 35th time in program history and for the second time this season. The Beach leads the all-time series 28-6. Earlier this season, LBSU edged UC Davis on the road in a five-set contest. When playing each other in Long Beach, Calif., LBSU leads the series 14-3. The Beach have won the last two meetings against the Aggies.
Scouting UC Riverside
• UC Riverside is 4-23 overall and 2-16 in The Big West.
• The Highlanders are have been struggling as they are looking to snap a 10-match losing streak. Their last win came at CSUN on October 15 when the Highlanders defeated the Matadors in four sets.
• On the year, UCR is hitting .150 with 11.23 kills per set and 10.18 assists per set.
• On the defensive end, the Highlanders have averaged 15.36 digs per set, 1.30 blocks per set, and 1.63 service aces per set.
• Isabella Scarlett is the team's leading scorer with 2.49 kills per set on a .226 attack percentage. She also adds 0.80 digs per set and 0.55 blocks per set.
• Tayler Hifo is the Highlanders' setter as she has dished out 825 assists to average 8.25 assists per set on the year. She also contributes 2.95 digs per set, 0.96 kills per set, and leads the team with 52 aces to average 0.52 aces per set.
• Jessica Dean leads UCR with 3.44 digs per set as she has logged 258 digs over 75 sets this season.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Highlanders
Long Beach State and UC Riverside will meet for the 58th time in program history and for the second time this season. Overall, LBSU leads the all-time series 52-5. The Beach also earned a five-set win over the Highlanders in Riverside, Calif., on October 20. When playing each other in Long Beach, Calif., the Beach leads the series 19-1 with the lone loss coming last season as UCR edged the Beach, 3-2, on October 22, 2021.
Beach Player Notes
• Redshirt freshman setter Zayna Meyer has been very efficient in her rookie season. She has recorded a team-leading 11 double-doubles and has led the Beach in assists in every match this season. She has also led the squad in blocks on seven separate occasions. A four-time Big West Setter of the Week winner, Meyer is averaging 10.40 assists per set to lead The Big West. She also adds 2.39 digs per set, 0.82 kills per set, 0.73 blocks per set, and has notched 26 aces, all while hitting .297.
• Morgan Chacon, a redshirt junior outside hitter, is leading the Beach with 3.72 kills per set, a mark that is good for fourth in The Big West. Chacon recorded a career-high 26 kills against No. 19 Oregon and reached the mark again at UC Riverside. On the year, she has registered 20-plus kills in five matches this season and has recorded double-figure kills 24 times. Chacon has notched a double-double in seven matches this season.
• Jaylen Jordan had a career performance at UC San Diego as she tallied a career-high 22 kills and a career-best 13 digs for her first-career double-double. She has recorded seven double-figure kill performances on the year, two double-doubles, and has led the Beach in scoring twice. Jordan is averaging 2.39 kills per set on the year, to go along with 2.15 digs per set, and 0.33 blocks per set.
• Sophomore middle blocker Kameron Bacon has been solid this season on both sides of the ball as she averages 1.25 kills per set on a .255 attack percentage, while coming in second on the squad with 0.93 blocks per set. Against CSU Bakersfield, she tallied a career-high 12 kills on 18 errorless swings to hit a career-best .667.
• Tia Chavira, one of LBSU's team captains, has been seeing more playing time as her solid leadership skills are an asset on the court. Additionally, she has come in to serve and has led the Beach on several scoring runs which led to Long Beach State's nine-match winning streak earlier this season.
• Savana Chacon, a sophomore defensive specialist, has been an asset to the Beach this season. She leads LBSU in service aces as she has racked up 34 to average 0.41 which ranks her in the top five in the conference. Chacon also averages 2.10 digs per set after having logged a career-high 18 digs against CSUN. She has accumulated six double-figure dig performances this season and has led the Beach in digs twice.
• Freshman middle blocker Rhiann Sheffie made her collegiate debut at UC Davis. In the match, she saw action in two sets and finished with a pair of kills. Since then, she earned the start at CSUN and knocked down six kills on seven errorless swings to hit a career-best .857. Last week, she came in off the bench at UC Irvine and posted two kills and one block in the match.
• Kailia Lopez has been a key component to Long Beach State this season. The sophomore has come off the bench in 22 matches this year, with two starts. She is averaging 0.26 digs per set to go along with 0.06 assists per set, and 0.14 service aces per set.
• Nicole Hoff made her season debut on Thursday, Oct. 20 at UC Riverside. The defensive specialist came into the match and promptly logged eight digs to help the Beach to a 3-2 win over the Highlanders. She has since seen action in five more contests, with a start against UC San Diego. One the year, she is averaging 1.94 digs per set.
• Katie Kennedy, another of LBSU's team captains, has shown her versatility this season as the 6-foot-1 junior has seen action at middle blocker, opposite, and outside. After pouring in a career-high 23 kills against CSUN, Kennedy matched her career-high the next weekend at UC San Diego. She has now recorded 15 double-figure scoring matches on the year and is averaging 2.71 kills per set on a .246 clip. She also adds 0.62 blocks per set.
• Senior libero Dylan Dela Cruz has certainly made the most of her senior year at Long Beach State. The local product logged a career-high 34 digs at UC San Diego becoming the first LBSU player to record at least 30 digs in a single-match since 2010. On the year, Dela Cruz has posted 24 double-digit dig showings, 10 20-plus dig performances, and two 30-plus dig matches. She is averaging 4.42 digs per set to rank second in The Big West.
• Victoria O'Sullivan has played in 36 sets for the Beach this season and has started in seven matches. She registered a season-high 15 kills off the bench at UC Riverside to bring her season average to 2.44 kills per set, while hitting .221.
• Sophomore defensive specialist Jenna Giambi has returned to the Beach and has done a solid job coming off the bench in six sets this season. She is averaging 0.67 digs per set thus far.
• Senior middle blocker Callie Schwarzenbach has been a force on both sides of the ball this season. Her 1.02 blocks per set leads the Beach and ranks in the top 10 in The Big West. Meanwhile, she leads the team with a .286 attack percentage to rank ninth in the league. At Cal State Fullerton, she racked up a career-high 17 kills, bringing her season average to 1.69 kills per set.
• Natalie Glenn is a sophomore outside hitter and is coming off an outstanding showing against UC San Diego in which she recorded her second double-double of the season with 12 kills and a career-high 15 digs. She also added a career-best three aces psoted a .400 (12-2-25) attack percentage. On the year, Glenn is now averaging 2.70 kills per set to go along with 2.32 digs per set, 0.47 blocks per set, and 0.30 service aces per set.
A Grand Time
Redshirt junior outside hitter Morgan Chacon hit a new milestone in her collegiate career as she knocked down her 1,000th career kill against Cal State Fullerton. If reaching 1,000 kills wasn't enough, Chacon is just 15 digs shy of recording her 1,000th career dig.
Callie SchwarzenBLOCK
Senior middle blocker Callie Schwarzenbach is also closing in on a milestone. The Kearney, Mo., native is just six blocks away from 500 in her career. On the year, Schwarzenbach is averaging 1.17 blocks per set.
Home Sweet Home
The Beach have played exceptionally well this season at the Walter Pyramid as they own a 10-1 record when playing at home for a .909 winning percentage. Long Beach State's lone loss at the 'Mid came on October 1 to Hawaii in four sets. Since then, LBSU has won seven-straight matches at home.
Excelling Both On and Off the Court
The 2022 Academic All-District Volleyball Team, selected by College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA), recognized the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom on Tuesday afternoon and Long Beach State's Katie Kennedy earned the honors for the first time in her career.
Kennedy, a junior athletically, was named to the CSC Academic All-District Team after graduating with a 3.97 grade point average with an undergraduate degree in psychology. Kennedy is now pursing her master's degree at Long Beach State while competing for the women's volleyball team.
This season, in her first semester of the master's program, Kennedy has been a starter at LBSU where she has shown her versatility playing at outside hitter, opposite, and middle blocker. She is the Beach's second-leading scorer with 2.71 kills per set on a .246 attack percentage. Additionally, Kennedy has contributed 0.62 blocks per set and 0.41 digs per set on the year.
Heading into the final week of the season, Kennedy has led the Beach in scoring five times, while registering 15 double-figure kill performances, and two 20-plus kill showings. She has also led LBSU in blocking defense four times.
The Academic All-District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. First- and Second-Team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in late December.
Can You Dig It?
Senior libero Dylan Dela Cruz had a career night at UC San Diego as she logged a new career-best 34 digs to best her previous career mark by 10. With that performance, she became the first Long Beach State player to record 30-plus digs in a single match since Lauren Minkel recorded 32 digs against Pacific on October 9, 2010. With 34 digs in a single match Dela Cruz now moves into a tie for third place in the Long Beach State Record Book as she trails Heather Laudato who recorded 40 digs on November 27, 2004 against Notre Dame, and Tara Cross who notched 39 digs on October 3, 1986 against Hawaii. Most recently, Dela Cruz notched 25 digs in a sweep at CSUN marking the most digs in a three-setter for the product out of Long Beach, Calif. Additionally, her 25 digs in straight sets was also the most in a three-set contest this season among Big West players. Dela Cruz has now accumulated 455 digs on the year to average 4.42 digs per set, which ranks her second in The Big West.
Setting the Tone
Redshirt freshman setter Zayna Meyer has done a solid job this season setting the offensive tone for the Beach. She has accumulated 1071 assists to average 10.40 assists per set, which leads The Big West. As a team, LBSU is hitting .218 thanks to Meyer's efforts. While she does an excellent job at setter, the Wheaton, Ill., native also contributes 2.39 digs per set, 0.82 kills per set, and 0.73 blocks per set, while hitting .297. She has also recorded a team-leading 11 double-doubles this season.
Sister, Sister
For the first time in their collegiate careers, sisters Morgan and Savana Chacon are teammates as they don the Black and Gold together. Prior to joining each other at Long Beach State, Morgan, a junior outside hitter, played at Florida State, while Savana, a sophomore defensive specialist, played at Purdue. The Crown Point, Ind., natives have both been an integral part of Long Beach State's squad. Morgan is a starting outside who leads the team in kills per set (3.72), while Savana has come off the bench in every set this season and is leading the team in aces (34), while adding 2.10 digs per set.
No Relation
Despite sharing the same last name, junior defensive specialist Nicole Hoff and freshman outside hitter Tatum Hoff are not related. Nicole has been a fixture at the Beach for the last three years playing defensive specialist and libero. Meanwhile, Tatum is in her first year at LBSU after prepping at Dana Hills High School.
Family Connection
Redshirt freshman outside hitter Jaylen Jordan, freshman outside hitter Tatum Hoff, sophomore defensive specialist Jenna Giambi, and sophomore outside hitter Kailia Lopez have some strong family connections.
Jordan is the daughter of Kevin Jordan who played football at UCLA, while her mother, Jenny Johnson Jordan played volleyball. Her mother went on to play on the 2000 Beach Volleyball Olympic Team, while her father played in the NFL with both the Cardinals and the Bengals. If that weren't enough, her grandfather was 1960 Olympic Gold Medalist and UCLA track & field and basketball star, Rafer Johnson.
Hoff is the daughter of Long Beach State Men's Volleyball alum, U.S. A. Olympic Gold Medalist, and professional volleyball player Tom Hoff. The senior Hoff played two years at LBSU, then went on to enjoy a successful professional career playing overseas. A three-time Olympian (2000, 2004, 2008), Hoff was a member of the U.S. Men's National Team from 1996-2009, and helped bring home the Gold in 2008.
Giambi, meanwhile, comes from a strong pedigree of athletes as well. Her mother, Julie Giambi, played softball at Cal State Fullerton, and her uncles, Jason and Jeremy, are former Major League Baseball players. Her Uncle Jason played for the Dirtbags from 1990-92.
Lopez is also the descendant of a Dirtbag as she is the daughter of Derek Lopez who played for the Dirtbags in 1989. Additionally, her mother, Krystal Attwood, was a standout at Hawaii who went on to have a successful beach volleyball career.
Date: Friday, Nov. 25
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Long Beach, Calif.
Venue: Walter Pyramid
Live Stats: BeachLiveStats.com
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Matt Brown
Twitter: @LBSUWVB
Tickets: www.LongBeachState.com
LONG BEACH (17-9, 12-6) vs. UC RIVERSIDE (4-23, 2-16)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 26
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Long Beach, Calif.
Venue: Walter Pyramid
Live Stats: BeachLiveStats.com
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Matt Brown
Twitter: @LBSUWVB
Tickets: www.LongBeachState.com
COMPLETE LBSU MATCH NOTES (PDF)
LBSU Women's Volleyball Closes out the Season Hosting UC Davis, UC Riverside
As the final week of the 2022 women's volleyball regualr season approaches, Long Beach State prepares to host a pair of matches at the Walter Pyramid. The Beach first welcomes UC Davis to the 'Mid on Friday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. The next night, LBSU will face UC Riverside on senior night on Saurday, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m.
Catch All The Action
Both Long Beach State matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans can sign up for ESPN+ for $5.99 per month ($59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNPlus.com, or on the ESPN App. It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu for $13.99 per month (Hulu with ads) or $19.99 per month (Hulu without ads).
Staying Social
Follow Long Beach State women's volleyball on Instagram and Twitter at @LBSUWVB respectively. Fans can stay up-to-date on all things Long Beach State by following @LBSUAthletics via Twitter. Be sure to "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram at @LBSU.
About the Beach
• Long Beach State brings a 17-9 overall record into the final week of the regular season.
• The Beach are 13-6 in Big West action as they sit in fourth place in the standings.
• Long Beach is 10-1 when playing at the Walter Pyramid, with the Beach's only home loss coming to Hawaii in four sets on October 1.
• Against UC Riverside, Long Beach State will recognize its three seniors in Dylan Dela Cruz, Victoria O'Sullivan, and Callie Schwarzenbach following the match.
• As a team, the Beach are averaging 13.27 kills per set, while hitting .218 on the year. Additionally, the Beach are averaging 12.37 assists per set.
• Defensively, the Beach have racked up 14.43 digs per set and 2.11 blocks per set, to go along with 1.29 service aces per set on the season.
• Earlier this season, Long Beach State strung together nine-straight victories, marking the program's longest winning streak since 2014.
• This season, Long Beach State has boasted four Big West Players of the Week in Morgan Chacon, Dylan Dela Cruz, Zayna Meyer, and Jaylen Jordan. Meyer is a five-time winner at both Setter (four times) and Freshman of the Week, while Dela Cruz is a three-time winner at Defensive Player of the Week.
• In his first year at the helm, Tyler Hildebrand revamped the Beach bringing in a whole new coaching staff featuring assistant coaches Cursty Le Roux and Kim Hill, while also adding volunteer assistant coach Jordan Molina to the mix.
Scouting UC Davis
• UC Davis comes into the final week of the regular season with a 14-14 overall record and a 9-9 Big West ledger.
• The Aggies have moved into sixth place in the Big West standings after winning their last three matches against CSU Bakersfield (3-0), UC Santa Barbara (3-2), and CSUN (3-1).
• The Aggies have been playing very well as of late. UC Davis has won five of their last six matches, with their only loss during that run coming against Cal Poly in five sets.
• As a team, UC Davis is averaging 11.77 kills per set, while hitting .198. The Aggies are averaging 10.63 assists per set.
• Defensively, Davis has logged 14.02 digs per set, while putting up 2.20 blocks per set, and 1.45 service aces per set.
• Demari Webb is the Aggies' leading scorer with 2.72 kills per set. Right behind her are Josephine Ough (2.46 kills per set) and Olivia Utterback (2.30 kills per set).
• Ough also leads the team with 1.12 blocks per set.
• At setter, Casi Newman has paced the offense with 981 assists to average 8.84 assists per set to go along with 1.83 digs per set, and 0.40 kills per set on a .362 clip.
• Shira Lahav is UC Davis' libero as she has logged 455 digs in the backrow this season to average 4.10 digs per set.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Aggies
Long Beach State and UC Davis will face each other for the 35th time in program history and for the second time this season. The Beach leads the all-time series 28-6. Earlier this season, LBSU edged UC Davis on the road in a five-set contest. When playing each other in Long Beach, Calif., LBSU leads the series 14-3. The Beach have won the last two meetings against the Aggies.
Scouting UC Riverside
• UC Riverside is 4-23 overall and 2-16 in The Big West.
• The Highlanders are have been struggling as they are looking to snap a 10-match losing streak. Their last win came at CSUN on October 15 when the Highlanders defeated the Matadors in four sets.
• On the year, UCR is hitting .150 with 11.23 kills per set and 10.18 assists per set.
• On the defensive end, the Highlanders have averaged 15.36 digs per set, 1.30 blocks per set, and 1.63 service aces per set.
• Isabella Scarlett is the team's leading scorer with 2.49 kills per set on a .226 attack percentage. She also adds 0.80 digs per set and 0.55 blocks per set.
• Tayler Hifo is the Highlanders' setter as she has dished out 825 assists to average 8.25 assists per set on the year. She also contributes 2.95 digs per set, 0.96 kills per set, and leads the team with 52 aces to average 0.52 aces per set.
• Jessica Dean leads UCR with 3.44 digs per set as she has logged 258 digs over 75 sets this season.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Highlanders
Long Beach State and UC Riverside will meet for the 58th time in program history and for the second time this season. Overall, LBSU leads the all-time series 52-5. The Beach also earned a five-set win over the Highlanders in Riverside, Calif., on October 20. When playing each other in Long Beach, Calif., the Beach leads the series 19-1 with the lone loss coming last season as UCR edged the Beach, 3-2, on October 22, 2021.
Beach Player Notes
• Redshirt freshman setter Zayna Meyer has been very efficient in her rookie season. She has recorded a team-leading 11 double-doubles and has led the Beach in assists in every match this season. She has also led the squad in blocks on seven separate occasions. A four-time Big West Setter of the Week winner, Meyer is averaging 10.40 assists per set to lead The Big West. She also adds 2.39 digs per set, 0.82 kills per set, 0.73 blocks per set, and has notched 26 aces, all while hitting .297.
• Morgan Chacon, a redshirt junior outside hitter, is leading the Beach with 3.72 kills per set, a mark that is good for fourth in The Big West. Chacon recorded a career-high 26 kills against No. 19 Oregon and reached the mark again at UC Riverside. On the year, she has registered 20-plus kills in five matches this season and has recorded double-figure kills 24 times. Chacon has notched a double-double in seven matches this season.
• Jaylen Jordan had a career performance at UC San Diego as she tallied a career-high 22 kills and a career-best 13 digs for her first-career double-double. She has recorded seven double-figure kill performances on the year, two double-doubles, and has led the Beach in scoring twice. Jordan is averaging 2.39 kills per set on the year, to go along with 2.15 digs per set, and 0.33 blocks per set.
• Sophomore middle blocker Kameron Bacon has been solid this season on both sides of the ball as she averages 1.25 kills per set on a .255 attack percentage, while coming in second on the squad with 0.93 blocks per set. Against CSU Bakersfield, she tallied a career-high 12 kills on 18 errorless swings to hit a career-best .667.
• Tia Chavira, one of LBSU's team captains, has been seeing more playing time as her solid leadership skills are an asset on the court. Additionally, she has come in to serve and has led the Beach on several scoring runs which led to Long Beach State's nine-match winning streak earlier this season.
• Savana Chacon, a sophomore defensive specialist, has been an asset to the Beach this season. She leads LBSU in service aces as she has racked up 34 to average 0.41 which ranks her in the top five in the conference. Chacon also averages 2.10 digs per set after having logged a career-high 18 digs against CSUN. She has accumulated six double-figure dig performances this season and has led the Beach in digs twice.
• Freshman middle blocker Rhiann Sheffie made her collegiate debut at UC Davis. In the match, she saw action in two sets and finished with a pair of kills. Since then, she earned the start at CSUN and knocked down six kills on seven errorless swings to hit a career-best .857. Last week, she came in off the bench at UC Irvine and posted two kills and one block in the match.
• Kailia Lopez has been a key component to Long Beach State this season. The sophomore has come off the bench in 22 matches this year, with two starts. She is averaging 0.26 digs per set to go along with 0.06 assists per set, and 0.14 service aces per set.
• Nicole Hoff made her season debut on Thursday, Oct. 20 at UC Riverside. The defensive specialist came into the match and promptly logged eight digs to help the Beach to a 3-2 win over the Highlanders. She has since seen action in five more contests, with a start against UC San Diego. One the year, she is averaging 1.94 digs per set.
• Katie Kennedy, another of LBSU's team captains, has shown her versatility this season as the 6-foot-1 junior has seen action at middle blocker, opposite, and outside. After pouring in a career-high 23 kills against CSUN, Kennedy matched her career-high the next weekend at UC San Diego. She has now recorded 15 double-figure scoring matches on the year and is averaging 2.71 kills per set on a .246 clip. She also adds 0.62 blocks per set.
• Senior libero Dylan Dela Cruz has certainly made the most of her senior year at Long Beach State. The local product logged a career-high 34 digs at UC San Diego becoming the first LBSU player to record at least 30 digs in a single-match since 2010. On the year, Dela Cruz has posted 24 double-digit dig showings, 10 20-plus dig performances, and two 30-plus dig matches. She is averaging 4.42 digs per set to rank second in The Big West.
• Victoria O'Sullivan has played in 36 sets for the Beach this season and has started in seven matches. She registered a season-high 15 kills off the bench at UC Riverside to bring her season average to 2.44 kills per set, while hitting .221.
• Sophomore defensive specialist Jenna Giambi has returned to the Beach and has done a solid job coming off the bench in six sets this season. She is averaging 0.67 digs per set thus far.
• Senior middle blocker Callie Schwarzenbach has been a force on both sides of the ball this season. Her 1.02 blocks per set leads the Beach and ranks in the top 10 in The Big West. Meanwhile, she leads the team with a .286 attack percentage to rank ninth in the league. At Cal State Fullerton, she racked up a career-high 17 kills, bringing her season average to 1.69 kills per set.
• Natalie Glenn is a sophomore outside hitter and is coming off an outstanding showing against UC San Diego in which she recorded her second double-double of the season with 12 kills and a career-high 15 digs. She also added a career-best three aces psoted a .400 (12-2-25) attack percentage. On the year, Glenn is now averaging 2.70 kills per set to go along with 2.32 digs per set, 0.47 blocks per set, and 0.30 service aces per set.
A Grand Time
Redshirt junior outside hitter Morgan Chacon hit a new milestone in her collegiate career as she knocked down her 1,000th career kill against Cal State Fullerton. If reaching 1,000 kills wasn't enough, Chacon is just 15 digs shy of recording her 1,000th career dig.
Callie SchwarzenBLOCK
Senior middle blocker Callie Schwarzenbach is also closing in on a milestone. The Kearney, Mo., native is just six blocks away from 500 in her career. On the year, Schwarzenbach is averaging 1.17 blocks per set.
Home Sweet Home
The Beach have played exceptionally well this season at the Walter Pyramid as they own a 10-1 record when playing at home for a .909 winning percentage. Long Beach State's lone loss at the 'Mid came on October 1 to Hawaii in four sets. Since then, LBSU has won seven-straight matches at home.
Excelling Both On and Off the Court
The 2022 Academic All-District Volleyball Team, selected by College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA), recognized the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom on Tuesday afternoon and Long Beach State's Katie Kennedy earned the honors for the first time in her career.
Kennedy, a junior athletically, was named to the CSC Academic All-District Team after graduating with a 3.97 grade point average with an undergraduate degree in psychology. Kennedy is now pursing her master's degree at Long Beach State while competing for the women's volleyball team.
This season, in her first semester of the master's program, Kennedy has been a starter at LBSU where she has shown her versatility playing at outside hitter, opposite, and middle blocker. She is the Beach's second-leading scorer with 2.71 kills per set on a .246 attack percentage. Additionally, Kennedy has contributed 0.62 blocks per set and 0.41 digs per set on the year.
Heading into the final week of the season, Kennedy has led the Beach in scoring five times, while registering 15 double-figure kill performances, and two 20-plus kill showings. She has also led LBSU in blocking defense four times.
The Academic All-District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. First- and Second-Team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in late December.
Can You Dig It?
Senior libero Dylan Dela Cruz had a career night at UC San Diego as she logged a new career-best 34 digs to best her previous career mark by 10. With that performance, she became the first Long Beach State player to record 30-plus digs in a single match since Lauren Minkel recorded 32 digs against Pacific on October 9, 2010. With 34 digs in a single match Dela Cruz now moves into a tie for third place in the Long Beach State Record Book as she trails Heather Laudato who recorded 40 digs on November 27, 2004 against Notre Dame, and Tara Cross who notched 39 digs on October 3, 1986 against Hawaii. Most recently, Dela Cruz notched 25 digs in a sweep at CSUN marking the most digs in a three-setter for the product out of Long Beach, Calif. Additionally, her 25 digs in straight sets was also the most in a three-set contest this season among Big West players. Dela Cruz has now accumulated 455 digs on the year to average 4.42 digs per set, which ranks her second in The Big West.
Setting the Tone
Redshirt freshman setter Zayna Meyer has done a solid job this season setting the offensive tone for the Beach. She has accumulated 1071 assists to average 10.40 assists per set, which leads The Big West. As a team, LBSU is hitting .218 thanks to Meyer's efforts. While she does an excellent job at setter, the Wheaton, Ill., native also contributes 2.39 digs per set, 0.82 kills per set, and 0.73 blocks per set, while hitting .297. She has also recorded a team-leading 11 double-doubles this season.
Sister, Sister
For the first time in their collegiate careers, sisters Morgan and Savana Chacon are teammates as they don the Black and Gold together. Prior to joining each other at Long Beach State, Morgan, a junior outside hitter, played at Florida State, while Savana, a sophomore defensive specialist, played at Purdue. The Crown Point, Ind., natives have both been an integral part of Long Beach State's squad. Morgan is a starting outside who leads the team in kills per set (3.72), while Savana has come off the bench in every set this season and is leading the team in aces (34), while adding 2.10 digs per set.
No Relation
Despite sharing the same last name, junior defensive specialist Nicole Hoff and freshman outside hitter Tatum Hoff are not related. Nicole has been a fixture at the Beach for the last three years playing defensive specialist and libero. Meanwhile, Tatum is in her first year at LBSU after prepping at Dana Hills High School.
Family Connection
Redshirt freshman outside hitter Jaylen Jordan, freshman outside hitter Tatum Hoff, sophomore defensive specialist Jenna Giambi, and sophomore outside hitter Kailia Lopez have some strong family connections.
Jordan is the daughter of Kevin Jordan who played football at UCLA, while her mother, Jenny Johnson Jordan played volleyball. Her mother went on to play on the 2000 Beach Volleyball Olympic Team, while her father played in the NFL with both the Cardinals and the Bengals. If that weren't enough, her grandfather was 1960 Olympic Gold Medalist and UCLA track & field and basketball star, Rafer Johnson.
Hoff is the daughter of Long Beach State Men's Volleyball alum, U.S. A. Olympic Gold Medalist, and professional volleyball player Tom Hoff. The senior Hoff played two years at LBSU, then went on to enjoy a successful professional career playing overseas. A three-time Olympian (2000, 2004, 2008), Hoff was a member of the U.S. Men's National Team from 1996-2009, and helped bring home the Gold in 2008.
Giambi, meanwhile, comes from a strong pedigree of athletes as well. Her mother, Julie Giambi, played softball at Cal State Fullerton, and her uncles, Jason and Jeremy, are former Major League Baseball players. Her Uncle Jason played for the Dirtbags from 1990-92.
Lopez is also the descendant of a Dirtbag as she is the daughter of Derek Lopez who played for the Dirtbags in 1989. Additionally, her mother, Krystal Attwood, was a standout at Hawaii who went on to have a successful beach volleyball career.
Players Mentioned
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