Long Beach State Women’s Volleyball Hosts UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton In A Pair Of Rivalry Matches

Friday, October 18

Long Beach, Calif.

7 p.m.

Long Beach State University

UC Irvine

Photo by: John Fajardo

Long Beach State Women’s Volleyball Hosts UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton In A Pair Of Rivalry Matches

10/17/2024 11:16:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

LBSU Notes

The Beach and the Anteaters face off on Friday, before LBSU welcomes the Titans on Saturday

By: Lindy Zamora, Associate Athletic Communications Director

LONG BEACH STATE (11-5 | 5-1) vs. UC IRVINE (10-7 | 4-2)
Friday, October 18 • 7:00 p.m. • Long Beach, Calif. • Walter Pyramid
Live Stats: BeachLiveStats
Live Stream: ESPN+
Talent: Matt Brown
X: @LBSUWVB

LONG BEACH (11-5 | 5-1) vs. CS FULLERTON (4-12 | 0-6)
Saturday, October 19 • 4:00 p.m. • Long Beach, Calif. • Walter Pyramid
Live Stats: BeachLiveStats
Live Stream: ESPN+
Talent: Matt Brown
X: @LBSUWVB

Long Beach State Women's Volleyball Hosts UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton In A Pair Of Rivalry Matches
The Long Beach State Women's Volleyball team returns to the Walter Pyramid to host a pair of rivalry matches this weekend. The Beach and UC Irvine will go head-to-head on Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m., then LBSU will face Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 4 p.m.

Catch All The Action
Both matches this week will be live streamed on ESPN+. Fans can follow live stats via 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 not currently ranked in the AVCA Division I Poll. The Beach are 11-5 overall this season and 5-1 in Big West action. In the most recent RPI Rankings, LBSU comes in 43rd and is first among Big West competition.
• The Beach have a competitive schedule this season. They faced four teams that are either nationally ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA Rankings during the preseason in No. 1 Pitt, No. 11 Oregon, No. 13 Arizona State, and Washington which is receiving votes. Against opponents who are ranked or receiving votes, Long Beach State is 0-4
• UC Irvine is 10-7 on the year and 4-2 in conference play. The Anteaters are unranked in the AVCA Poll.
• Cal State Fullerton is not nationally ranked as the Titans enter the week with a 4-12 overall record to go along with an 0-6 Big West mark.

About the Beach
• With a pair of road wins last week, Long Beach State improved to 11-5 overall and 5-1 in Big West action. The Beach have now won seven of their last eight matches.
• Interim Head Coach Natalie Reagan is back for her second season overall at Long Beach State, but in her first at the helm. She earned her first-career win on Thursday, September 5 in a four-set victory over Northwestern. The win kicked off a four-match winning streak for the Beach.
• The Beach turned in a solid preseason as they strung together four-straight victories, marking the first time LBSU went on a four-match winning streak during the preseason since 2015.
• Reagan is joined on the sidelines by Associate Head Coach Bjarne Huus who is in his second season, as well as Assistant Coach Jordan Molina who returned to LBSU for his second year after serving as a Volunteer Assistant Coach during the 2022 season. In his first year with the Beach, Blake Omartian also serves as an assistant coach.
• The Beach opened the conference season strong with their only loss coming to Hawaii (3-0) on Saturday, Oct. 5.
• During the preseason, the Beach earned a key victory over Washington State (3-0) as it was the first time in program history LBSU defeated WSU when playing in Long Beach, Calif. The sweep was also the first time an opponent handed the Cougars a straight-set loss this season.
• Senior outside hitter Natalie Glenn recorded her team-leading seventh double-double last week against Cal State Bakersfield as she posted 11 kills and 11 digs in LBSU's four-set win. She is the Beach's leading scorer with 3.16 kills per set, while hitting .299.
• Freshman Madi Maxwell is making a name for herself as the freshman opposite was named Big West Freshman of the Week for her excellent performances over CSUN and Cal State Bakersfield last week. Against the Roadrunners, she registered her first collegiate double-double (12 kills, 11 digs) and served up a career-high five aces.
• Zayna Meyer has paced the Long Beach State offense at setter as she has distributed 8.48 assists per set to rank sixth in The Big West. Additionally, Meyer contributes 1.79 digs, 0.91 kills, 0.70 blocks, and 0.18 aces per set on the year.
• Sophomore middle blocker Ella Lomigora has been solid all season as she leads Long Beach State with a .368 attack percentage, which leads the conference. She is second on the squad in blocking defense with a 0.89 blocks per set average which is good for eighth in the conference. During the preseason, Lomigora set two new career-highs as she tallied a career-best 10 blocks against Northwestern, becoming the first LBSU player to reach double-digit blocks since 2018. She went on to lead the Beach with a career-high 12 kills on a career-best .857 (12-0-14) hitting percentage against Washington State.
• Senior middle blocker Kameron Bacon has been excellent on both sides of the ball this season contributing a conference-leading 1.21 blocks per set and 1.89 kills per set. Her solid showing last weekend at CSUN and Cal State Bakersfield earned her Big West Defensive Player of the Week. It was her second time this season winning the weekly accolade.
• At libero, the Beach have utilized both redshirt freshman Sarah Vellucci and senior Jenna Giambi. Giambi is averaging 2.35 digs per set, while Vellucci adds 0.93 digs per set.
• This season, Long Beach State has been chosen to finish third in The Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Beach garnered 83 points and two first-place votes coming in just two points behind second place Hawaii, which garnered 85 points and three first-place votes. Cal Poly collected 94 points and five first-place votes and was chosen as the preseason favorite.

Scouting UC Irvine
• UC Irvine comes into the match against Long Beach State with a 10-7 overall record.
• The Anteaters are currently 4-2 in conference play as they are coming off of a 3-1 win over UC Santa Barbara.
• As a team, UCI is hitting .196, while averaging 12.66 kills per set on 11.60 assists per set. The Anteaters also have collected 14.81 digs per set, to go along with 2.72 blocks per set, and 1.34 aces per set.
• Hunter Riedl is the Anteaters' leading scorer as she averages 3.00 kills per set on a .196 clip. She also adds 1.20 digs, 0.77 blocks, and 0.28 aces per set on the season.
• At setter, Nicole Feliciano paces the UCI offense with 8.59 assists per set to go along with 3.19 digs per set.
• Campbell Jensen is the 'Eaters' libero as she holds down the backrow defense with 3.65 digs per set.
• At the net, Ella Gardner has put up a team-leading 71 blocks to average 1.08 blocks per set. She also contributes 2.20 kills per set on a .302 attack percentage.

The Series: The Beach vs. The Anteaters
Long Beach State and UC Irvine will meet for the 93rd time in program history. In the all-time series, the Beach leads the series 77-15. When playing each other in Long Beach, Calif., LBSU owns a 42-4 record. The Beach have won the last two meetings against UC Irvine.

Scouting Cal State Fullerton
• Cal State Fullerton heads into the week with a 4-12 overall record and an 0-6 mark in Big West action.
• The Titans are looking to snap a seven-match losing streak dating back to Sept. 21 when they closed the preseason falling in straight sets to Grand Canyon.
• As a team, Fullerton is hitting .188, while averaging 12.34 kills per set on 11.18 assists per set. The Titans also have collected 13.6 digs per set, to go along with 1.75 blocks per set, and 1.20 aces per set.
• Lyla Traylor leads the Titans with 2.84 kills per set, while hitting .193. She is also the team leader in service aces with 16 this season.
• Ryleigh Garis is Cal State Fullerton's setter as she has dished out 6.30 assists per set this year to go along with 1.57 digs per set.
• Defensively, libero Ashley Chacon anchors the backcourt with 3.70 digs per set.
• On blocking defense, the Titans are led by Bianca Martinez's 0.93 blocks per set. She also adds 1.80 kills per set, while hitting .194.

The Series: The Beach vs. The Titans
Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton will meet for the 106th time in program history. The Beach leads the all time series, 99-7 and have won the last two contests against CSUF. When playing each other in Long Beach, Calif., the Beach lead the series 51-2.

Ella Enchanted
Sophomore middle blocker Ella Lomigora has been on-point all season. The 6-foot-2 product out of Tempe, Ariz., is second on the team in blocking defense (0.89 blocks per set) and leads The Big West in hitting percentage (.368). Lomigora posted a career-high 10 blocks against Northwestern, becoming the first LBSU player to reach double-digit blocks since 2018. Then she went on to lead the Beach with a career-high 12 kills on a career-best .857 (12-0-14) hitting percentage against Washington State.

Mad Max
Freshman opposite Madi Maxwell had a breakthrough performance last week at Cal State Bakersfield as she served up a career-high five aces, while recording her first collegiate double-double (12 kills, 11 digs). For her efforts, she won Big West Freshman Player of the Week for the first time on her career.

Bacon Sizzles
Senior middle blocker Kameron Bacon has been unstoppable at the net this season. She leads the conference with 1.21 blocks per set on the year. Last weekend, she totaled 14 blocks to average 2.00 per set as she helped the Beach defense shut down the opposition and limit them to a .087 hitting percentage. Bacon's solid showing garnered her her second Big West Defensive Player of the Week honor of the year, and her fourth of her career.

The Best in the (Big) West
Long Beach State has four players who rank in the top 10 in The Big West statistics wise. Natalie Glenn comes in third in the conference with 0.41 aces per set, while placing sixth in points per set (3.82), seventh in kills per ser (3.16). Additionally, Ella Lomigora leads the league in hitting percentage (.368), while Kameron Bacon is tops in The Big West in blocks per set (1.21), and Zayna Meyer ranks sixth in assists per set (8.48).

Next Up
Long Beach State will welcome Cal Poly to the Walter Pyramid on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. Following that match, the Beach hit the road against as they face UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. in Santa Barbara, Calif.