Saturday, March 9
Santa Barbara, Calif.
6:00 p.m.
Long Beach State University
16-1,2-0Big West
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UC Santa Barbara
7-12,0-3Big West
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F
Long Beach St.
25
23
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UC Santa Barbara
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Photo by: Stephanie Hang, @TheStephHang
No. 2 Long Beach State Powers Past No. 19 UC Santa Barbara In Five-Set Nail-Biter
3/9/2024 10:06:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
Aidan Knipe and Sotiris Siapanis each record a double-double in the Beach win
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – No. 2 Long Beach State Men's Volleyball fought No. 19 UC Santa Barbara through 35 ties and 17 lead changes in a 3-2 [25-20, 23-25, 19-25, 25-23, 15-13] victory on Saturday night.
The nearly three-hour match was the Beach's (16-1, 2-0 Big West) first five-setter of the season. LBSU hit .285 with 11.0 blocks, while UCSB (7-12, 0-3 Big West) hit .259 with 7.0 blocks.
Senior setter Aidan Knipe recorded a double-double as he tied his season-high with 52 assists, while adding 11 digs, and four blocks. Knipe passed the ball around well getting three hitters into double-figures.
Leading the offensive attack for the Beach was sophomore opposite Skyler Varga who match his career-high with 19 kills. He just missed a double-double as he finished the match with nine digs, while adding two blocks, and one assist.
Junior outside hitter Sotiris Siapanis also recorded a double-double in the match as he registered 18 kills on a .406 hitting percentage (18-5-32) and 10 digs. He served up two aces for the Beach, while putting up one block and one assist.
Rounding out the Beach's double-figure scorers was Clarke Godbold who concluded the match with 10 kills, while adding three blocks and two digs.
Senior libero Mason Briggs anchored the LBSU defense as he recorded a season-high 17 digs.
Senior middle blocker Simon Torwie led the way at the net with seven blocks, while chipping in four kills, two digs, and one ace. Fellow middle, Lazar Bouchkov contributed on both sides of the ball as he tallied nine kills on a .692 (9-0-13) attack percentage, to go along with three blocks.
The first set began close with both teams trading points throughout. Siapanis led the Beach on a 5-0 run in which he contributed a kill and an ace to send Long Beach State to set point, 24-19. Varga put the first set away on a kill to give the Beach a 25-20 win.
The second set was much like the first as the conference foes traded points back-and-forth. UCSB managed to break the 22-22 tie and the Gauchos went on to win, 25-23, and even the match at 1-1.
Long Beach State struggled offensively in the third set. Despite a few early ties and an LBSU lead, UC Santa Barbara used a 5-0 run to go up 13-10 as the Gauchos led the rest of the way. UCSB would go on to take the third set, 25-19, as the hosts took a 2-1 lead over the Beach.
The Beach rebounded nicely in the fourth set hitting .393 and jumping out in front early. Long Beach State kicked off the frame with three-straight points. From there, LBSU used a 4-0 run to go up 9-3. The Beach held the lead for most of the game, but UCSB chipped away and battled back to even things up 21-21. Siapanis was a key component to the Beach regaining control of the set. He knocked down a kill to give the Beach a 22-21 lead, then scored a kill to send it to set point, 24-22. Varga put the game away with a kill as LBSU won, 25-23, to force a fifth and deciding set.
The fifth set was as exciting as they come. The Beach and the Gauchos fought each other hard as the set saw nine ties and four lead changes. Long Beach State hit .350, while UC Santa Barbara hit .261, in the fifth. UCSB held an 8-7 edge at the side switch, but the Beach were quick to even things up on a kill from Siapanis. LBSU called a timeout after UCSB tied it at 12-all. Out of the timeout, Siapanis knocked down a kill, but the Gauchos countered with a kill of their own. Knotting 13-13, Varga's 19th kill of the match since it to match point, and he and Bouchkov teamed up for the match-winning block, 15-13.
Geste Bianchi led all scorers with 23 kills and 10 digs. Also recording a double-double for UC Santa Barbara was Ben Coordt who finished with 15 kills and 11 digs. Setter Jack Walmer dished out 54 assists to go along with nine digs, while libero Joe Wallace recorded 15 digs in the backcourt.
Long Beach State will be back home at the Walter Pyramid next week when the Beach host No. 3 Hawaii on Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16. First serve is set for 7 p.m. on both days. Both contests will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The nearly three-hour match was the Beach's (16-1, 2-0 Big West) first five-setter of the season. LBSU hit .285 with 11.0 blocks, while UCSB (7-12, 0-3 Big West) hit .259 with 7.0 blocks.
Senior setter Aidan Knipe recorded a double-double as he tied his season-high with 52 assists, while adding 11 digs, and four blocks. Knipe passed the ball around well getting three hitters into double-figures.
Leading the offensive attack for the Beach was sophomore opposite Skyler Varga who match his career-high with 19 kills. He just missed a double-double as he finished the match with nine digs, while adding two blocks, and one assist.
BOOM!!! Let's go 5! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/MhkVyVcOLE
— Long Beach State Men's VB (@LBSUMVB) March 10, 2024
Junior outside hitter Sotiris Siapanis also recorded a double-double in the match as he registered 18 kills on a .406 hitting percentage (18-5-32) and 10 digs. He served up two aces for the Beach, while putting up one block and one assist.
Rounding out the Beach's double-figure scorers was Clarke Godbold who concluded the match with 10 kills, while adding three blocks and two digs.
Senior libero Mason Briggs anchored the LBSU defense as he recorded a season-high 17 digs.
Senior middle blocker Simon Torwie led the way at the net with seven blocks, while chipping in four kills, two digs, and one ace. Fellow middle, Lazar Bouchkov contributed on both sides of the ball as he tallied nine kills on a .692 (9-0-13) attack percentage, to go along with three blocks.
The first set began close with both teams trading points throughout. Siapanis led the Beach on a 5-0 run in which he contributed a kill and an ace to send Long Beach State to set point, 24-19. Varga put the first set away on a kill to give the Beach a 25-20 win.
The second set was much like the first as the conference foes traded points back-and-forth. UCSB managed to break the 22-22 tie and the Gauchos went on to win, 25-23, and even the match at 1-1.
Long Beach State struggled offensively in the third set. Despite a few early ties and an LBSU lead, UC Santa Barbara used a 5-0 run to go up 13-10 as the Gauchos led the rest of the way. UCSB would go on to take the third set, 25-19, as the hosts took a 2-1 lead over the Beach.
The Beach rebounded nicely in the fourth set hitting .393 and jumping out in front early. Long Beach State kicked off the frame with three-straight points. From there, LBSU used a 4-0 run to go up 9-3. The Beach held the lead for most of the game, but UCSB chipped away and battled back to even things up 21-21. Siapanis was a key component to the Beach regaining control of the set. He knocked down a kill to give the Beach a 22-21 lead, then scored a kill to send it to set point, 24-22. Varga put the game away with a kill as LBSU won, 25-23, to force a fifth and deciding set.
The fifth set was as exciting as they come. The Beach and the Gauchos fought each other hard as the set saw nine ties and four lead changes. Long Beach State hit .350, while UC Santa Barbara hit .261, in the fifth. UCSB held an 8-7 edge at the side switch, but the Beach were quick to even things up on a kill from Siapanis. LBSU called a timeout after UCSB tied it at 12-all. Out of the timeout, Siapanis knocked down a kill, but the Gauchos countered with a kill of their own. Knotting 13-13, Varga's 19th kill of the match since it to match point, and he and Bouchkov teamed up for the match-winning block, 15-13.
ROOF!!!! Skyler Varga and Lazar Bouchkov put up a block to win it ??#GoBeach pic.twitter.com/qQ4CwWSS4E
— Long Beach State Men's VB (@LBSUMVB) March 10, 2024
Geste Bianchi led all scorers with 23 kills and 10 digs. Also recording a double-double for UC Santa Barbara was Ben Coordt who finished with 15 kills and 11 digs. Setter Jack Walmer dished out 54 assists to go along with nine digs, while libero Joe Wallace recorded 15 digs in the backcourt.
Long Beach State will be back home at the Walter Pyramid next week when the Beach host No. 3 Hawaii on Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16. First serve is set for 7 p.m. on both days. Both contests will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
Team Stats
LBSU
UCSB
Kills
61
62
Errors
20
24
Attempts
144
147
Hitting %
.285
.259
Points
75.0
71.0
Assists
59
59
Aces
3
2
Blocks
11
7
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
19
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
18
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Men's Volleyball
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/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's Volleyball
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/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's Volleyball
MB
/ Men's VolleyballOPP
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