Friday, February 4
Long Beach, Calif.
7:00 PM
Long Beach State University
vs
USC
Photo by: John Fajardo
No. 3 Long Beach State Welcomes No. 7 USC for a Friday Night Match
2/3/2022 11:16:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
The Beach and the Trojans go head-to-head in another Top-10 match up
MATCH #7: No. 3 LONG BEACH STATE vs. No. 7 USC
Date: Friday, February 4
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Long Beach, Calif.
Venue: Walter Pyramid
Live Stats: BeachLiveStats.com
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Matt Brown & Matt Prosser
Twitter: @LBSUMVB
Ticket Website: www.LongBeachState.com
COMPLETE LBSU MATCH NOTES (PDF)
No. 3 Long Beach State Welcomes No. 7 USC for a Friday Night Match
The No. 3 Long Beach State Men's Volleyball team looks to get back on the winning track as they welcome the No. 7 USC Trojans to the Walter Pyramid. The Beach and the Trojans will face off on Friday, February 4 at 7 p.m. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with Matt Brown and Long Beach State alum and former men's volleyball player, Matt Prosser, on the call.
Catch All The Action
Long Beach State home 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). Fans can also follow stats updates on BeachLiveStats.com.
Staying Social
Follow Long Beach State Men's Volleyball on Twitter and Instagram at @LBSUMVB. You can also stay up-to-date on all things Long Beach State by following @LBSUAthletics on Twitter. Be sure to "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram at @LBSU. And don't forget our hashtag #GoBeach.
In the Rankings
• Long Beach State opened the season ranked fifth in the nation and has since moved up to No. 3 as the Beach are 5-1 on the year thus far.
• Ten of the Beach's opponents this season are among the Top 15 teams nationally ranked. LBSU will also face a pair of teams who are currently receiving votes.
• This week's opponent, USC moved up from No. 10 last week to No. 7 this week. The Trojans are 8-1 on the year, with their lone loss coming on Saturday, January 22 against then-No. 11 Ohio State.
 About The Beach
• Long Beach State has opened the 2022 season with five-straight wins before suffering a five-set loss against No. 4 Penn State last week as the Beach are now 5-1 on the year.
• The Beach have been dominant offensively hitting .383 on the season which ranks them second in the Big West and third in the nation.
• As a team, the Beach are ranked in the top 25 in almost every statistical category this season. Long Beach State is second in kills per set (12.86), third in hitting percentage (.383) and assists per set (12.00), fifth in blocks per set (2.66), and 14th in aces per set (1.59).
• Leading the Beach's offense is sophomore setter Aidan Knipe who leads the conference and is second in the nation in assists per set with 11.27. Knipe has piloted th Beach to a .300 attack percentage in 5-of-6 matches this season.
• Knipe does a good job distributing the ball, as both outsides - Alex Nikolov and Spencer Olivier - as well as opposite, Clarke Godbold all rank in the top 10 in the Big West in kills per set. Nikolov leads the way with 4.27 kills per set which ranks him third in the conference and fourth in the nation. Meanwhile Godbold's 3.18 kills per set are good for sixth in the league, while Olivier's 3.14 kills per set put him seventh in the Big West.
• Nikolov has had an outstanding rookie season thus far. In just three weeks of action, he has been named Big West Conference Freshman of the Week twice, as well as Big West Offensive Player of the Week, Off the Block National Player of the Week, and AVCA National Player of the Week.
• Sophomore libero Mason Briggs had a career day against No. 7 Lewis as he logged a career-best 19 digs to help lead the defensive charge. Last week, he recorded his 12th career double-digit dig performance with 14 against No. 4 Penn State. On the year, Briggs is averaging 2.00 digs per set to rank third in the Big West and in the top 25 in the nation.
• At the net, middle blocker Shane Holdaway has been on point as he has put up 23 blocks on the year to average 1.10 blocks per set, which ranks him fifth in the Big West and 13th in the nation.
• Joining Holdaway with a total of 23 blocks on the year is Godbold who has been on point on both sides of the ball. This season, Godbold is averaging 3.18 kills per set on a .385 attack percentage to go along with 1.05 blocks per set, 1.00 digs per set and 0.32 aces per set.
• Junior outside hitter Spencer Olivier has also been a big contributor for the Beach this season. He is third on the squad with 3.14 kills per set, which ranks him seventh in the Big West and 33rd in the nation. Olivier is hitting .377 on the year and is also averaging 1.43 digs per set to go along with 0.67 blocks per set.
• Sophomore Simon Torwie has earned the start at middle blocker in his last three matches and has made the most of it. Against No. 9 Ohio State last week, Torwie led the Beach with five blocks. This season, he is averaging 0.94 blocks per set which is good for ninth in the conference and 31st in the nation.
• Long Beach State has officially changed the nickname for all sports other than baseball to Beach with the NCAA. Please do not refer to LBSU men's volleyball as the 49ers.
Scouting USC
• No. 7 USC brings an 8-1 overall record into the Walter Pyramid to face the Beach.
• The Trojans have won their last three-straight matches, including a 3-0 sweep of No. 13 UC San Diego on Wednesday, February 2,
• The Trojans are hitting a solid .342 on the year while averaging 12.8 kills per set on 12.3 assists per set.
• Defensively, the Trojans have logged 9.4 digs per set, 1.8 blocks per set, and 1.4 service aces per set on the year.
• Simon Gallas is the Trojans' leading scorer as he averages 4.24 kills per set, while hitting .316. Additionally, he contributes 1.42 digs per set, 0.55 blocks per set, and leads the squad with 15 service aces.
• Sam Kobrine, the reigning AVCA National Player of the Week, is the team's second leading scorer as he averages 3.38 kills per set, while hitting .310. He also adds 1.16 digs per set, 0.34 blocks per set, and 0.34 aces per set.
• Chris Hall is USC's setter as he averages 10.91 assists per set to go along with 1.35 digs per set and 0.41 blocks per set.
• Cole Paxson anchors the Trojan defense with 2.09 digs per set in the back row.
• At the net, Lucas Frassrand leads the way with 26 blocks for an average of 0.79 blocks per set, while Liam Schroeder contributes 23 blocks to average 0.92 blocks per set.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Trojans
Long Beach State and USC will face off for the 112th time in program history. The series that dates back to 1970 is led by the Trojans 59-52. However, the Beach won the last meeting of the two foes, 3-1, on January 17, 2020. When playing each other in Long Beach, Calif., the Trojans hold a slight edge, 26-25.
Weekly Honors
Alex Nikolov claimed his third Big West Conference weekly honor after leading the Beach with 5.22 kills per set on a .359 attack percentage en route to being named Freshman of the Week.
Nikolov continues to lead the Beach offensive attack after tallying a pair of 20-kill matches last week against No. 9 Ohio State and No. 4 Penn State. In addition to averaging 5.22 kills per set, Nikolov also averaged 0.67 blocks per set, 0.67 digs per set, and 0.56 aces per set.Â
In the win over the Buckeyes, Nikolov registered a career-high 24 kills on a .500 clip, while adding five digs, four blocks, and two aces. He came back the next night against the Nittany Lions and posted 23 kills on a .250 attack percentage, to go along with three aces, two blocks, one dig, and one assist.
National Honors
Long Beach State freshman outside hitter Alex Nikolov was named AVCA Men's Division I-II Player of the Week on Tuesday, January 25 after turning in an outstanding performance against No. 7 Lewis and No. 9 Loyola Chicago. Nikolov averaged 3.90 kills per set on a .417 attack percentage, while adding 1.20 digs per set and 4.40 points per set against the pair of Top 10 opponents.
Doing It Right on the Right Side
Clarke Godbold has earned the start at the right side and is currently the Beach's second leading scorer  with 3.18 kills per set on a .385 attack percentage. The sophomore from San Pedro, Calif., has also contributed defensively with 1.05 blocks per set, 1.00 digs per set, and 0.32 service aces per set. Godbold has recorded double-digit kills four times this season and has led Long Beach State in blocks three times.
Aces Wild
Long Beach State has racked up a total of 35 aces in just six matches thus far to average 1.59 aces per set which ranks the Beach second in the Big West and 14th in the nation. LBSU has a pair of servers who rank in the conference top 10 in Alex Nikolov and Simon Torwie. Nikolov leads the Beach with 0.59 aces per set to come in second in the Big West and 10th in the nation, while Torwie's 0.33 aces per set is good for sixth place in the conference.
Setting the Tone
Sophomore setter Aidan Knipe has set the offensive tone for the Beach thus far as Long Beach State has hit over .300 in 5-of-6 matches this season. As a team, the Beach are hitting .383 which ranks them second in the Big West and third in the country. Knipe, meanwhile, has distributed 11.27 assists per set this season to lead the Big West Conference and rank second in the nation.Â
Alex The Great
Freshman outside hitter Alex Nikolov had a monster collegiate debut and has not let up since. He is currently leading the squad with 4.27 kills per set, while hitting .384, and leading the team with 0.59 aces per set. In just three weeks in Black and Gold, Nikolov has been named Off the Block Freshman of the Week, Big West Conference Offensive Player of the Week, Big West Conference Freshman of the Week on two separate occasions, and AVCA National Player of the Week.
Next Up
Long Beach State will host No. 4 UCLA next Friday, February 11 at 7 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
Date: Friday, February 4
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Long Beach, Calif.
Venue: Walter Pyramid
Live Stats: BeachLiveStats.com
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Matt Brown & Matt Prosser
Twitter: @LBSUMVB
Ticket Website: www.LongBeachState.com
COMPLETE LBSU MATCH NOTES (PDF)
No. 3 Long Beach State Welcomes No. 7 USC for a Friday Night Match
The No. 3 Long Beach State Men's Volleyball team looks to get back on the winning track as they welcome the No. 7 USC Trojans to the Walter Pyramid. The Beach and the Trojans will face off on Friday, February 4 at 7 p.m. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with Matt Brown and Long Beach State alum and former men's volleyball player, Matt Prosser, on the call.
Catch All The Action
Long Beach State home 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). Fans can also follow stats updates on BeachLiveStats.com.
Staying Social
Follow Long Beach State Men's Volleyball on Twitter and Instagram at @LBSUMVB. You can also stay up-to-date on all things Long Beach State by following @LBSUAthletics on Twitter. Be sure to "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram at @LBSU. And don't forget our hashtag #GoBeach.
In the Rankings
• Long Beach State opened the season ranked fifth in the nation and has since moved up to No. 3 as the Beach are 5-1 on the year thus far.
• Ten of the Beach's opponents this season are among the Top 15 teams nationally ranked. LBSU will also face a pair of teams who are currently receiving votes.
• This week's opponent, USC moved up from No. 10 last week to No. 7 this week. The Trojans are 8-1 on the year, with their lone loss coming on Saturday, January 22 against then-No. 11 Ohio State.
 About The Beach
• Long Beach State has opened the 2022 season with five-straight wins before suffering a five-set loss against No. 4 Penn State last week as the Beach are now 5-1 on the year.
• The Beach have been dominant offensively hitting .383 on the season which ranks them second in the Big West and third in the nation.
• As a team, the Beach are ranked in the top 25 in almost every statistical category this season. Long Beach State is second in kills per set (12.86), third in hitting percentage (.383) and assists per set (12.00), fifth in blocks per set (2.66), and 14th in aces per set (1.59).
• Leading the Beach's offense is sophomore setter Aidan Knipe who leads the conference and is second in the nation in assists per set with 11.27. Knipe has piloted th Beach to a .300 attack percentage in 5-of-6 matches this season.
• Knipe does a good job distributing the ball, as both outsides - Alex Nikolov and Spencer Olivier - as well as opposite, Clarke Godbold all rank in the top 10 in the Big West in kills per set. Nikolov leads the way with 4.27 kills per set which ranks him third in the conference and fourth in the nation. Meanwhile Godbold's 3.18 kills per set are good for sixth in the league, while Olivier's 3.14 kills per set put him seventh in the Big West.
• Nikolov has had an outstanding rookie season thus far. In just three weeks of action, he has been named Big West Conference Freshman of the Week twice, as well as Big West Offensive Player of the Week, Off the Block National Player of the Week, and AVCA National Player of the Week.
• Sophomore libero Mason Briggs had a career day against No. 7 Lewis as he logged a career-best 19 digs to help lead the defensive charge. Last week, he recorded his 12th career double-digit dig performance with 14 against No. 4 Penn State. On the year, Briggs is averaging 2.00 digs per set to rank third in the Big West and in the top 25 in the nation.
• At the net, middle blocker Shane Holdaway has been on point as he has put up 23 blocks on the year to average 1.10 blocks per set, which ranks him fifth in the Big West and 13th in the nation.
• Joining Holdaway with a total of 23 blocks on the year is Godbold who has been on point on both sides of the ball. This season, Godbold is averaging 3.18 kills per set on a .385 attack percentage to go along with 1.05 blocks per set, 1.00 digs per set and 0.32 aces per set.
• Junior outside hitter Spencer Olivier has also been a big contributor for the Beach this season. He is third on the squad with 3.14 kills per set, which ranks him seventh in the Big West and 33rd in the nation. Olivier is hitting .377 on the year and is also averaging 1.43 digs per set to go along with 0.67 blocks per set.
• Sophomore Simon Torwie has earned the start at middle blocker in his last three matches and has made the most of it. Against No. 9 Ohio State last week, Torwie led the Beach with five blocks. This season, he is averaging 0.94 blocks per set which is good for ninth in the conference and 31st in the nation.
• Long Beach State has officially changed the nickname for all sports other than baseball to Beach with the NCAA. Please do not refer to LBSU men's volleyball as the 49ers.
Scouting USC
• No. 7 USC brings an 8-1 overall record into the Walter Pyramid to face the Beach.
• The Trojans have won their last three-straight matches, including a 3-0 sweep of No. 13 UC San Diego on Wednesday, February 2,
• The Trojans are hitting a solid .342 on the year while averaging 12.8 kills per set on 12.3 assists per set.
• Defensively, the Trojans have logged 9.4 digs per set, 1.8 blocks per set, and 1.4 service aces per set on the year.
• Simon Gallas is the Trojans' leading scorer as he averages 4.24 kills per set, while hitting .316. Additionally, he contributes 1.42 digs per set, 0.55 blocks per set, and leads the squad with 15 service aces.
• Sam Kobrine, the reigning AVCA National Player of the Week, is the team's second leading scorer as he averages 3.38 kills per set, while hitting .310. He also adds 1.16 digs per set, 0.34 blocks per set, and 0.34 aces per set.
• Chris Hall is USC's setter as he averages 10.91 assists per set to go along with 1.35 digs per set and 0.41 blocks per set.
• Cole Paxson anchors the Trojan defense with 2.09 digs per set in the back row.
• At the net, Lucas Frassrand leads the way with 26 blocks for an average of 0.79 blocks per set, while Liam Schroeder contributes 23 blocks to average 0.92 blocks per set.
The Series: The Beach vs. The Trojans
Long Beach State and USC will face off for the 112th time in program history. The series that dates back to 1970 is led by the Trojans 59-52. However, the Beach won the last meeting of the two foes, 3-1, on January 17, 2020. When playing each other in Long Beach, Calif., the Trojans hold a slight edge, 26-25.
Weekly Honors
Alex Nikolov claimed his third Big West Conference weekly honor after leading the Beach with 5.22 kills per set on a .359 attack percentage en route to being named Freshman of the Week.
Nikolov continues to lead the Beach offensive attack after tallying a pair of 20-kill matches last week against No. 9 Ohio State and No. 4 Penn State. In addition to averaging 5.22 kills per set, Nikolov also averaged 0.67 blocks per set, 0.67 digs per set, and 0.56 aces per set.Â
In the win over the Buckeyes, Nikolov registered a career-high 24 kills on a .500 clip, while adding five digs, four blocks, and two aces. He came back the next night against the Nittany Lions and posted 23 kills on a .250 attack percentage, to go along with three aces, two blocks, one dig, and one assist.
National Honors
Long Beach State freshman outside hitter Alex Nikolov was named AVCA Men's Division I-II Player of the Week on Tuesday, January 25 after turning in an outstanding performance against No. 7 Lewis and No. 9 Loyola Chicago. Nikolov averaged 3.90 kills per set on a .417 attack percentage, while adding 1.20 digs per set and 4.40 points per set against the pair of Top 10 opponents.
Doing It Right on the Right Side
Clarke Godbold has earned the start at the right side and is currently the Beach's second leading scorer  with 3.18 kills per set on a .385 attack percentage. The sophomore from San Pedro, Calif., has also contributed defensively with 1.05 blocks per set, 1.00 digs per set, and 0.32 service aces per set. Godbold has recorded double-digit kills four times this season and has led Long Beach State in blocks three times.
Aces Wild
Long Beach State has racked up a total of 35 aces in just six matches thus far to average 1.59 aces per set which ranks the Beach second in the Big West and 14th in the nation. LBSU has a pair of servers who rank in the conference top 10 in Alex Nikolov and Simon Torwie. Nikolov leads the Beach with 0.59 aces per set to come in second in the Big West and 10th in the nation, while Torwie's 0.33 aces per set is good for sixth place in the conference.
Setting the Tone
Sophomore setter Aidan Knipe has set the offensive tone for the Beach thus far as Long Beach State has hit over .300 in 5-of-6 matches this season. As a team, the Beach are hitting .383 which ranks them second in the Big West and third in the country. Knipe, meanwhile, has distributed 11.27 assists per set this season to lead the Big West Conference and rank second in the nation.Â
Alex The Great
Freshman outside hitter Alex Nikolov had a monster collegiate debut and has not let up since. He is currently leading the squad with 4.27 kills per set, while hitting .384, and leading the team with 0.59 aces per set. In just three weeks in Black and Gold, Nikolov has been named Off the Block Freshman of the Week, Big West Conference Offensive Player of the Week, Big West Conference Freshman of the Week on two separate occasions, and AVCA National Player of the Week.
Next Up
Long Beach State will host No. 4 UCLA next Friday, February 11 at 7 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
Players Mentioned
L
/ Men's Volleyball
OH
/ Men's Volleyball
MB
/ Men's Volleyball
S
/ Men's Volleyball
OH
/ Men's Volleyball
OH
/ Men's Volleyball
OPP
/ Men's VolleyballNCAA National Collegiate Championship Post Match Press Conference (Finals)- #1 UCLA
Sunday, May 05
NCAA National Collegiate Championship Post-Match Press Conference (Finals) #2 Long Beach State
Sunday, May 05
#1 UCLA Practice Day 2024 NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship Press Conference
Friday, May 03
#2 Long Beach State Practice Day 2024 NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship Press Conference
Friday, May 03
