Wednesday, November 22
Long Beach, Calif.
4:00 PM
Long Beach State University
20-9,13-5Big West
3
vs
2
UC Irvine
11-19,9-9Big West
1
2
3
4
5
F
UC Irvine
16
27
14
25
10
2
Long Beach St.
25
25
25
22
15
3
Photo by: John Fajardo
Beach Women’s Volleyball Downs UC Irvine In Five To Advance To The Big West Championship Semifinals
11/22/2023 8:18:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Beach had three scorers in double-figures, and Zayna Meyer finished with a double-double in the victory
LONG BEACH, Calif. – The inaugural Outrigger Big West Championship kicked off at the Walter Pyramid on Wednesday night. Fans were treated to a five-set battle that saw No. 4 seed Long Beach State defeat No. 5 UC Irvine, 25-16, 27-25, 25-14, 22-25, 15-10, to advance to the semifinals.
The Beach (20-9) will next face No. 1 seed UC Santa Barbara on Friday, Nov. 24 at 4 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid. The victory also marks the first 20-win season for Long Beach State since the 2016 season.
With the loss, the Anteaters finish their season with an 11-19 overall record, after going 9-9 in Big West action.
The Big West Setter of the Year, Zayna Meyer, paced Long Beach State to a .271 attack percentage as she registered her 13th double-double of the season with 48 assists and 14 digs. Additionally, Meyer contributed four kills on as many perfect swings to hit 1.000, while putting up five blocks and serving up four aces in an all-around excellent performance for the product out of Wheaton, Ill.
Meyer distributed the ball well getting three of her hitters in double-figures as junior outside hitter Elise Agi led the way with 19 kills on a .310 attack percentage. Agi just missed a double-double with nine digs, while also posting two assists, two blocks, and one ace.
Joining Agi in double-figures were Natalie Glenn and Katie Kennedy. Glenn was on-point as she finished the match hitting .323 (13-3-31), while Kennedy was equally hot with a .348 attack percentage (12-4-23). Glenn also added four blocks, three digs, one assist, and one ace. Meanwhile, Kennedy recorded five blocks and two digs.
The Long Beach State defense was also impressive as the Beach put up a total of 12.0 team blocks. At the net, LBSU was led by middle blocker Kameron Bacon who logged six blocks.
In the backcourt, libero Savana Chacon recorded her third-straight 18-dig match. She has now notched 20 double-figure dig performances this season, and has led Long Beach State in digs on 19 occasions.
The Beach started the match off strong. Long Beach State hit nearly .300 in the first set and after breaking an early 1-1 tie, led the rest of the way. Kennedy led the Beach on a serving run as they jumped out in front 8-5. After back-to-back aces from Meyer put the Beach up 12-6, UCI called a timeout. The Beach continued to soar ahead as they held a 19-14 lead after a Hanna Lesiak kill which forced another Anteaters timeout. Tia Chavira came in and led the Beach on a serving run, highlighted by an ace, as LBSU opened up an eight-point advantage (23-15), before cruising to a 25-16 win.
UC Irvine found its footing in the second set and battled the Beach through 12 ties and three lead changes. Long Beach State reached set point first (24-22), but the Anteaters refused to quit. UCI managed to tie the game at 24-all as the Beach utilized their second timeout. From there, the Anteaters squeaked out a 27-25 win to even the match at 1-1.
After letting set two get away from them, Long Beach State came out determined in the third set. The Beach hit .407 as they knocked down 14 kills and held UC Irvine to a mere .037 attack percentage. Long Beach State opened the set with three-straight points and never trailed. The Beach held a comfortable lead throughout the set and rolled to a convincing 25-14 victory.
Just as they had done in the second set, UC Irvine battled back in the fourth. The Anteaters took a 3-2 lead over the Beach and never looked back. UCI held a slight edge over LBSU throughout the frame as the Beach stayed within striking distance the whole time. The Anteaters sent the game to set point, 24-22, and went on to win, 25-22, after a kill from Hunter Riedl, to force a fifth and deciding set.
Following the flow of the match, Long Beach State was back on track in the fifth set. The Beach hit .500 (8-1-14), while keeping UC Irvine off balance as the Anteaters hit .118 (6-4-17). LBSU took a 6-2 lead after a kill from Agi as the Anteaters took a timeout to regroup. UCI stayed close, but Long Beach continued to control the game as the Beach led 12-19 after a big block from Kennedy and Glenn, forcing UCI to call their final timeout. Coming out of the break, Long Beach State got another block from Kennedy and Glenn to reach match point (14-9), before Agi put the game and match away on a kill, 15-10.
UC Irvine was led by Ella Gardiner's 13 kills, while Riedl and Isabella Scarlett each added 12 kills. Setter Nicole Feliciano finished with a double-double (35 assists, 11 digs), while libero Campbell Jensen logged 19 digs.
The Beach (20-9) will next face No. 1 seed UC Santa Barbara on Friday, Nov. 24 at 4 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid. The victory also marks the first 20-win season for Long Beach State since the 2016 season.
With the loss, the Anteaters finish their season with an 11-19 overall record, after going 9-9 in Big West action.
The Big West Setter of the Year, Zayna Meyer, paced Long Beach State to a .271 attack percentage as she registered her 13th double-double of the season with 48 assists and 14 digs. Additionally, Meyer contributed four kills on as many perfect swings to hit 1.000, while putting up five blocks and serving up four aces in an all-around excellent performance for the product out of Wheaton, Ill.
Meyer distributed the ball well getting three of her hitters in double-figures as junior outside hitter Elise Agi led the way with 19 kills on a .310 attack percentage. Agi just missed a double-double with nine digs, while also posting two assists, two blocks, and one ace.
Joining Agi in double-figures were Natalie Glenn and Katie Kennedy. Glenn was on-point as she finished the match hitting .323 (13-3-31), while Kennedy was equally hot with a .348 attack percentage (12-4-23). Glenn also added four blocks, three digs, one assist, and one ace. Meanwhile, Kennedy recorded five blocks and two digs.
Elise Agi puts it away for a BEACH WIN!!! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/D7pqZSUn3t
— LBSU W. Volleyball (@LBSUWVB) November 23, 2023
The Long Beach State defense was also impressive as the Beach put up a total of 12.0 team blocks. At the net, LBSU was led by middle blocker Kameron Bacon who logged six blocks.
In the backcourt, libero Savana Chacon recorded her third-straight 18-dig match. She has now notched 20 double-figure dig performances this season, and has led Long Beach State in digs on 19 occasions.
The Beach started the match off strong. Long Beach State hit nearly .300 in the first set and after breaking an early 1-1 tie, led the rest of the way. Kennedy led the Beach on a serving run as they jumped out in front 8-5. After back-to-back aces from Meyer put the Beach up 12-6, UCI called a timeout. The Beach continued to soar ahead as they held a 19-14 lead after a Hanna Lesiak kill which forced another Anteaters timeout. Tia Chavira came in and led the Beach on a serving run, highlighted by an ace, as LBSU opened up an eight-point advantage (23-15), before cruising to a 25-16 win.
UC Irvine found its footing in the second set and battled the Beach through 12 ties and three lead changes. Long Beach State reached set point first (24-22), but the Anteaters refused to quit. UCI managed to tie the game at 24-all as the Beach utilized their second timeout. From there, the Anteaters squeaked out a 27-25 win to even the match at 1-1.
After letting set two get away from them, Long Beach State came out determined in the third set. The Beach hit .407 as they knocked down 14 kills and held UC Irvine to a mere .037 attack percentage. Long Beach State opened the set with three-straight points and never trailed. The Beach held a comfortable lead throughout the set and rolled to a convincing 25-14 victory.
Just as they had done in the second set, UC Irvine battled back in the fourth. The Anteaters took a 3-2 lead over the Beach and never looked back. UCI held a slight edge over LBSU throughout the frame as the Beach stayed within striking distance the whole time. The Anteaters sent the game to set point, 24-22, and went on to win, 25-22, after a kill from Hunter Riedl, to force a fifth and deciding set.
Following the flow of the match, Long Beach State was back on track in the fifth set. The Beach hit .500 (8-1-14), while keeping UC Irvine off balance as the Anteaters hit .118 (6-4-17). LBSU took a 6-2 lead after a kill from Agi as the Anteaters took a timeout to regroup. UCI stayed close, but Long Beach continued to control the game as the Beach led 12-19 after a big block from Kennedy and Glenn, forcing UCI to call their final timeout. Coming out of the break, Long Beach State got another block from Kennedy and Glenn to reach match point (14-9), before Agi put the game and match away on a kill, 15-10.
Natalie Glenn and Katie Kennedy are throwing a BLOCK PARTY!!! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/mUpZy4AKLI
— LBSU W. Volleyball (@LBSUWVB) November 23, 2023
UC Irvine was led by Ella Gardiner's 13 kills, while Riedl and Isabella Scarlett each added 12 kills. Setter Nicole Feliciano finished with a double-double (35 assists, 11 digs), while libero Campbell Jensen logged 19 digs.
POSTGAME PRESSER: Hear what @LBSUWVB Head Coach Tyler Hildebrand, and players Katie Kennedy and Tia Chavira had to say about the team's five-set win over UC Irvine in The Outrigger Big West Championship First Round #GoBeach x #JT3 https://t.co/szNikT66Tf
— LBSU W. Volleyball (@LBSUWVB) November 23, 2023
Team Stats
Irvine
LBSU
Kills
47
59
Errors
28
21
Attempts
141
140
Hitting %
.135
.271
Points
54.0
80.0
Assists
43
58
Aces
3
9
Blocks
4
12
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
13
Aces
1
Blocks
4
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOPP/OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
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