Pepperdine Takes Down Long Beach State In Five As Exhibition Goes The Distance

Saturday, August 19

Long Beach, Calif.

3 p.m.

Long Beach State University

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Pepperdine

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Pepperdine

Long Beach St.

Pepperdine Takes Down Long Beach State In Five As Exhibition Goes The Distance

8/19/2023 7:12:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

After two preseason 2-2 ties with four sets played in the last two years, the team’s finished off the preseason exhibition with a fifth set.

By: Roger Kirk, Associate Athletics Director, Communications & Broadcast

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State got a lift from their second wave of players in Saturday's exhibition, rallying to win sets three and four before losing the fifth as the Beach and Pepperdine resumed their preseason series in the Walter Pyramid.

                Both teams utilized the exhibition to use most of their rosters, getting the most of the time before the season kicks off in one week.

                New transfer Elise Agi came on in the third set for Long Beach State in the third set and gave the Beach a boost, making seven kills in that set along and finishing one dig shy of a double-double on the night with 14 kills and 9 digs. Another transfer, Abby Karich, finished with 12 kills as did Katie Kennedy who had 12 kills. Of the second wave, Ella Lomigora hit .556 with six kills, Maura Hayes had a pair of aces and eight kills and Nicole Hoff had a team high 13 digs after coming on as the libero in the third set.

                Pepperdine, receiving votes prior to the season in the AVCA preseason poll, used a few early blocks in the first set to take an early lead. With six blocks in the first set, Pepperdine first took an 11-9 lead and then made a 6-1 run to open up a 17-10 edge on the way to a first set win.

                The Waves grabbed the lead in the second set behind three aces, but the Beach bounced back behind kills from Kameron Bacon and Abby Karich to pull within two at 10-8 in one of the closer sets on the day. Pepperdine had the next push to take a five-point lead at 14-9, but a massive kill from Natalie Glenn swung the momentum once more. Back-to-back kills from Jaylen Jordan pulled the Beach back to within one at 21-20, but a Pepperdine timeout helped stop the comeback and the Waves held on to win the second set, 25-20.

                After dropping the first two sets, the Beach roared back in the third. Switching up the lineup to see some more of the new faces, Elise Agi impressed with seven kills in the set on nine swings, leading an improved offensive effort that saw the Beach hit .609 in the set. Quickly up 5-1, an Agi kill and ace helped push the Long Beach State lead to 10-4. Long Beach State kept the momentum going, opening up a 17-10 lead and ultimately taking the third set 25-16.

The closest set came in the fourth and final set. Pepperdine rallied for an early 5-1 lead, but the Beach clawed back and took their first lead of the set at 10-9 following a kill from Ella Lomigora. Tied at 11-11, neither team was able to grab more than a one-point lead until a Kennedy kill put the Beach in front 20-18. Long Beach State went on to take the fourth set with a 25-21 win as Kennedy had five kills on six swings to lead LBSU in the fourth.

                A Hayes ace followed by an overpass kill gave the Beach the early edge in set five, but Pepperdine bounced back and hit the switch with an 8-6 lead after a Meg Brown ace. Long Beach State would rally back to tie the set at 10-10, but Pepperdine took the next two points to grab a crucial lead to hold on for a 15-12 win in the match.

                Long Beach State begins the regular season with a massive home matchup inside the Walter Pyramid, as the Beach hosts defending champions and preseason No. 1 Texas. Get your tickets today for a chance to see two of the nation's top teams in action to start the season! Season tickets and season tickets are available now at the Long Beach State box office or at longbeachstate.com.