Long Beach State Hosts CSUN, Cal State Bakersfield In Final Home Contests Of The Regular Season

Friday, November 3

Long Beach, Calif.

7:00 PM

Long Beach State University

CSUN

Photo by: John Fajardo

Long Beach State Hosts CSUN, Cal State Bakersfield In Final Home Contests Of The Regular Season

11/2/2023 3:53:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

LBSU Match Notes

The Beach is set to face CSUN on Friday and Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday at the Walter Pyramid

By: Lindy Zamora, Associate Athletic Communications Director

LONG BEACH STATE (16-6, 10-2 Big West) vs. CSUN (5-18, 3-9 Big West)
Date: Friday, Nov. 3
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: LongBeachState.com

LONG BEACH STATE (16-6, 10-2 Big West) vs. CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD (6-18, 2-10 Big West)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 4
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Location: Long Beach, Calif.
Venue: Walter Pyramid
Live Stats: BeachLiveStats.com
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Matt Brown
Twitter: @LBSUWVB
Tickets: LongBeachState.com

Long Beach State Hosts CSUN, Cal State Bakersfield in Final Home Contests of the Regular Season
The Long Beach State Women's Volleyball team hosts CSUN and Cal State Bakersfield in the two final home contests of the regular season. The Beach face the Matadors on Friday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m., before going head-to-head with the Roadrunners on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 3 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid. Following Saturday's match, Long Beach State will recognize its four seniors in Tia Chavira, Nicole Hoff, Katie Kennedy, and Hanna Lesiak.

Catch All The Action
All Long Beach State home matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans can sign up for ESPN+ for $9.99 per month ($99.99 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 $12.99 per month (Hulu with ads). Fans can also follow the matches on live stats at BeachLiveStats.com.

Staying Social
Follow Long Beach State women's volleyball on Instagram and Twitter at @LBSUWVB. 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.

In The Rankings
• Long Beach State is 16-6 on the year and 10-2 in Big West play. The Beach are not currently ranked in the AVCA/Taraflex Division I Poll. LBSU boasts an RPI of 65, which is third in The Big West. In the conference standings, the Beach are tied for second place.
• CSUN, which is 5-18 overall and 3-9 in Big West action, is not ranked nor receiving votes in the AVCA/Taraflex Division I Poll. The Matadors are in eighth place in The Big West standings.
• Cal State Bakersfield, which brings a 6-18 overall record and a 2-10 conference mark into the week, is not ranked or receiving votes.The Roadrunners are 10th in conference standings.

About the Beach
• Long Beach State brings a 16-6 overall record, and a 10-2 Big West mark, into the week. The Beach are on a six-match winning streak and have won nine of their last 10 contests.
• During the preseason, the Beach picked up key wins over then-No. 1 Texas, Indiana, and Arizona. LBSU took down the defending National Champion Longhorns in four sets at the Walter Pyramid to open the season. The Beach also picked up a 3-1 win over Indiana marking the program's first win over a Big Ten opponent since 2015. Most recently, Long Beach swept Arizona on the road, which was the first road sweep over a Pac-12 opponent since 1992.
• In addition to the big preseason victories, Long Beach State earned a long-waited win over Hawaii. The Beach downed the Rainbow Wahine in three sets to snap an 11-match losing streak, dating back to 2016, against the Bows. The sweep was LBSU's first such win over Hawaii since 1997.
• As a team, Long Beach State leads The Big West in hitting percentage (.247) and service aces per set (1.76). The Beach ranks second in the conference in assists per set (12.45), kills per set (13.56), and third in opponent hitting percentage (.174).
• Junior outside hitter Elise Agi had a monster match th last time the Beach played Cal State Bakersfield. She was incredible as she knocked down a career-high 28 kills, while hitting a career-best .431 (28-6-51). She added seven digs and two aces to help the Beach defeat the Roadrunners in five sets. Agi is the Beach's leading scorer as she is averaging 3.38 kills per set on the year, which is good for fourth in The Big West. She also contributes 2.25 digs per set and is second on the team with 0.41 aces per set. Her aces per sets average ranks her third in the conference.
• Redshirt sophomore setter Zayna Meyer has paced the Beach to a .247 attack percentage to lead The Big West, distributing 10.19 assists per set to rank second in The Big West and in the Top 50 in the nation. On the year, Meyer has contributed on all sides of the ball with 2.44 digs per set, 0.88 kills per set, 0.59 blocks per set, and 0.30 aces per set. She leads the team with 10 double-doubles on the year.
• Katie Kennedy has been solid all season, but has really heated up in conference action. Overall, she is hitting a team-leading .381 (146-42-273) which is good for second in The Big West and 38th in the nation. However, in conference matches only, she it hitting an amazing .489 (83-14-141) to lead the league. In addition to her efficient output, Kennedy is third on the squad with 2.47 kills per set, while also contributing 0.78 blocks per set and 0.32 digs per set.
• Natalie Glenn has been unstoppable at the service line as of late. The junior outside hitter leads The Big West and ranks 19th in the nation with 0.51 aces per set. Additionally, she is the team's second-leading scorer as she averages 2.74 kills per set on a .293 attack percentage. She also adds 1.55 digs per set and 0.62 blocks per set. She has racked up eight double-figure kill performances, including a career-high 21-kill showing against Cal Poly.
• Savana Chacon, the team's libero, anchors the backrow with 3.71 digs per set which is good for sixth in The Big West. She also adds 1.18 assists per set. Chacon has led the Beach in digs 14 times this season and has recorded 16 double-digit dig performances.
• At the net, Long Beach is led by junior middle blocker Kameron Bacon who has put up 92 blocks (11 solos, 81 assists) this year to average 1.23 blocks per set which is good for third in the conference. Bacon has led the Beach in blocking 15 times this season and is coming off of a career-best 9-block showing at UC Riverside.
• Long Beach State will host the inaugural Big West Women's Volleyball Championships this season, which will take place at the Walter Pyramid November 22, 24, and 25. The winner of the championship will earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
• This season, Long Beach State has been chosen to finish third in The Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Beach garnered 82 points and one first-place vote coming in just one point behind second place UC Santa Barbara. Hawaii, which collected 100 points and 10 first-place votes, was chosen as the preseason favorite.

Scouting CSUN
• CSUN comes into the match against the Beach with a 5-18 overall record. The Matadors are 3-9 in The Big West.
• CSUN went 1-1 last weekend with a 3-1 win over Cal State Bakersfield and a 3-0 loss to Hawaii.
• As a team, the Matadors are hitting .178, while averaging 11.45 kills per set on 10.70 assists per set.
• Defensively, CSUN has logged 13.08 digs per set in the backrow, while posting 1.96 blocks per set at the net. At the service line, the Matadors are averaging 1.43 aces per set.
• Perri Starkey is CSUN's leading scorer as she averages 2.44 kills per set. Coming in right behind her are Carisa Barron and Leah Miller who average 2.32 and 2.30 kills per set, respectively. Starkey also contributes 2.20 dig per set and 23 aces.
• Barron has split time at setter this season with Taylor Dunlap and Kaia Kanan. Barron paces the trio with 4.59 assists per set, while Dunlap and Kanan add 4.36 and 3.91 assists per set, respectively. Barron is solid on all sides of the ball, adding 2.32 kills per set, 1.98 digs per set, 0.47 blocks per set, and 21 aces on the year.
• At libero, Kelsey Knudsen holds down the backcourt with 3.85 digs per set. She also chips in1.03 assists per set to go along with 11 service aces.
• On blocking defense, Taylor Hunter leads the squad with 81 blocks to average 0.89 blocks per set, while posting 1.81 kills per set.
• Paige Sentes has served up a team-leading 34 aces thus far to average 0.37 aces per set. She also contributes 2.07 digs per set and 0.22 assists per set.

The Series: The Beach vs. CSUN
Long Beach State and CSUN will face each other for the 87th time in program history and for the second time this season. Overall, the Beach lead the all-time series 61-25. However, the Matadors held off the Beach, 3-2, earlier this year when they two teams previously met in Northridge on October 7. When playing each other in Long Beach, LBSU leads the series 29-11.

Scouting Cal State Bakersfield
• Cal State Bakersfield comes into the week with a 6-18 overall record and a 2-10 Big West mark.
• The Roadrunners are looking to snap a four-match losing skid as they are looking for their first win since a 3-0 sweep at Cal State Fullerton on October 14.
• Bakersfield has struggled as of late dropping contests to UC Santa Barbara (3-0), Cal Poly (3-1), CSUN (3-1), and Hawaii (3-0).
• As a team, Cal State Bakersfield is hitting .168 on 11.47 kills per set. The 'Runners are also averaging 10.66 assists per set.
• On the defensive end, the Roadrunners average 13.89 digs per set, 1.83 blocks per set, and 1.58 aces per set.
• Ava Palm leads the 'Runners with 2.79 kills per set to go along with 2.27 digs per set and 0.47 blocks per set. She is tied for the team lead with 26 service aces.
• Nene Hawkins is Cal State Bakersfield's setter as she paces the team with 7.15 assists per set, while adding 2.04 digs per set and 21 aces.
• In the backrow, Grace Moss has collected a team-best 310 digs to average 3.37 digs per set, while also tying for the team lead with 26 service aces.
• At the net, Breklyn Pulling has put up 90 total blocks on the year to average 0.98 blocks per set. In addition, she has chipped in 2.40 kills per set on a .292 attack percentage, while also adding 18 aces.
• Sarah Martin is also in a three-way tie for first on the team with 26 aces. She contributes on defense with 1.54 digs per set as well.

The Series: The Beach vs. The Roadrunners
Long Beach State and will face each other for the ninth time in program history and for the second time this season. In the all-time series, the Beach leads the way 6-2 and has won the last three meetings with the Roadrunners. When playing each other in Long Beach, LBSU holds a 3-1 lead over the 'Runners.

Can You Dig It?
Junior libero Savana Chacon has recorded at least 10 digs in 16 of Long Beach State's 22 matches this season. On the year, she is averaging 3.71 digs per set. Chacon kicked off the season with 14 digs against then-No. 1 Texas. She turned in her best showing with a career-high 29-dig performance against Washington on Sept. 1. In The Big West, Chacon's 3.71 digs per set average ranks her sixth in the league.

Killing Machine
Junior Elise Agi has been an asset to the Beach so far this season. In addition to being Long Beach State's leading scorer with 3.38 kills per set, she also ranks second on the team in aces per set (0.41). Her offensive output has been solid, but on Oct. 6 at Cal State Bakersfield, she exploded with a career-high 28 kills, while hitting a career-best .431 (28-6-51). She has now recorded 12 double-figure kill performances this season, and has led LBSU in kills on 11 separate occasions. Additionally, she has tallied eight double-doubles on the year.

Setting the Tone
Redshirt sophomore Zayna Meyer has been a steady force for Long Beach State throughout the season. The 6-foot-1 setter has paced the Beach offense and turned in an all-around solid showing in each outing. Her 10.19 assists per set are good for second in The Big West and in the Top 50 in the nation. She also contributes 2.44 digs per set, 0.88 kills per set, 0.59 blocks per set, while hitting .356 on the year. She currently leads the team with 10 double-doubles this season.

Aces Wild
Junior outside hitter Natalie Glenn has been consistent in her serving and attacking game as of late. She leads The Big West and ranks 19th in the nation with 0.51 aces per set. She registered a career-high six aces at Cal State Bakersfield on October 6 to tie her for fifth all-time in Long Beach State's single-match record book. In addition to her powerful serve, Glenn also contributes offensive with 2.74 kills per set on a .293 hitting percentage.

Double-Double Toil and Trouble
This season, Long Beach State has had three players record at least one double-double in a match. Redshirt sophomore setter Zayna Meyer leads the way with 10 double-doubles on the year. Meanwhile, junior outside hitter Elise Agi has contributed eight double-doubles, and graduate student Hanna Lesiak has recorded one.

The Best in the (Big) West
In Big West matches this season, Long Beach State leads the conference in hitting percentage (.292) and service aces per set (1.96). The Beach has been outstanding in both categories throughout the league matches, while also coming in second in assists per set (12.73), kills per set (14.00), and opponent hitting percentage (.146).

Undefeated
Long Beach State has hit .300 or higher in eight matches this season. When hitting over .300, the Beach has recorded a perfect 8-0 record. So far, LBSU has hit over .300 against Alabama State (.429), UC San Diego (.336), Cal State Bakersfield (.349), UC Davis (.404), UC Riverside (.381), UC Irvine (345), Cal State Fullerton (.372), and most recently, UC Davis (.328). Six of those eight matches were won in straight sets. While 8-0 is quite a mark, even more impressive, Long Beach State is a whopping 11-0 when winning the first two sets of a match this season.

'Mid Magic
This season, Long Beach State has recorded eight wins when playing inside the Walter Pyramid. Even more impressive, the last five matches the Beach has played at home have been sweeps. The Beach has won the last five matches 15 sets to none with straight set victories over UC San Diego, Hawaii, UC Davis, UC Riverside, and Cal State Fullerton.

Next Up
Long Beach State will close out the regular season with a four-match road trip to UC Santa Barbara (Nov. 10), Cal Poly (Nov. 11), UC San Diego (Nov. 14), and Hawaii (Nov. 18).