Saturday, October 4
Long Beach, Calif.
6 p.m.
Long Beach State University
11-4,4-0Big West
3
vs
1
Cal Poly
11-5,2-2Big West
1
2
3
4
F
Cal Poly
20
18
26
25
1
Long Beach St.
25
25
24
27
3
Photo by: Photos by Izzy J
Beach Stays Perfect in Big West Defeating Cal Poly 3-1
10/4/2025 9:08:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
LBSU records first 4-0 Big West start since 2014
LONG BEACH, Calif. — Long Beach State improved to 4–0 to start a Big West campaign for the first time since 2014 Saturday night as the Beach defeated Cal Poly, 3–1, at the Walter Pyramid.
Cal Poly came out swinging in the opening set, but Long Beach State rallied midway through to claim a 25–20 victory in the first frame. The Mustangs jumped to a 3–0 lead behind three straight attack errors from Long Beach State's Sidney Hamaker and a block from Annabelle Thalken and Charlotte Kelly. Cal Poly maintained early momentum, leading 5–3 after a kill from Kendall Beshear, but the Beach began to find their rhythm behind setter Madi Maxwell's distribution.
Elise Agi sparked a pivotal 6–0 run for Long Beach State with a service ace, back-to-back kills, and a solo block, turning an 8–6 deficit into a 13–8 lead and forcing a Cal Poly timeout. Logan King dominated at the net during the stretch, recording multiple kills and combining with Rhiann Sheffie for a key block.
Cal Poly closed within 17–16 after kills from Chloe Leluge and Thalken, but the Mustangs' service errors proved costly down the stretch. Agi and Sheffie each added late kills before King and Nieko Thomas sealed the set for the Beach, with Thomas delivering the set point and Kelly's attack error clinching it, 25–20.
Long Beach State took the second set, 25–18. After a back-and-forth start, the Beach surged ahead behind a balanced offensive attack led by King and Agi, who combined for multiple kills to help LBSU build a 10–5 advantage. The Mustangs struggled to sustain momentum, committing several attack errors that allowed the Beach to extend their lead to 16–8 following a solo block from Hamaker.
Cal Poly battled late behind Leluge and Beshear, trimming the deficit to 21–16 with a service ace from Beshear. A kill by Agi followed by a Tatum Hoff service ace resulted in a Cal Poly timeout. Maxwell and Emma Frederick traded kills before a Leluge service error closed the set for the Beach.
The Mustangs used a pair of long scoring runs to fend off Long Beach State, 26–24, in set three. After trading points early, the Mustangs erased a 9–7 deficit with a four-point surge sparked by Samantha Callahan's serve. A block from Beshear and Leluge capped the run for a 10–9 edge.
Long Beach State responded with its own 6–0 burst behind King's serving, fueled by two kills and an ace that pushed the Beach in front, 18–12. Cal Poly answered once again. Down six, Emme Bullis' serve ignited a 6–0 rally that tied the set at 18–18, highlighted by back-to-back kills from Kelly and Frederick. The teams traded blows from there until Cal Poly, trailing 24–23, fought off match point on a Beshear kill. Leluge then delivered consecutive kills — both assisted by Callahan — for the victory.
Long Beach State outlasted Cal Poly in a thrilling fourth set filled with momentum swings and late drama, pulling out a 27–25 win to clinch the match. The Mustangs jumped out to a 2–0 lead on a kill and an ace from Beshear, but the Beach answered behind back-to-back kills from King to take their first lead at 3–2. From there, the teams traded points in a seesaw opening stretch that saw ties at 3, 4, 6, and 7 before Cal Poly briefly surged ahead 8–7 on a block from Leluge and Kayla Murdoch.
Long Beach State countered with a 4–1 run sparked by two straight blocks from Thomas and King to move in front 11–7. Cal Poly clawed back behind a pair of solo blocks from Beshear, eventually evening the score at 19–19 after kills from Murdoch and Beshear fueled a 6–2 spurt.
The Mustangs momentarily went ahead 20–19, but the Beach reclaimed control with a three-point burst highlighted by an Agi kill and a Cal Poly attack error for a 22–20 advantage. Cal Poly rallied again, tying it at 22 and 23 before fending off two set points to even the frame at 25-all on a Frederick kill.
King and Hamaker sealed it for the Beach from there — King's cross-court finish made it 26–25, and Hamaker delivered the clincher off an Anna Jelinek assist for the 27–25 final. The decisive set featured 13 ties and seven lead changes, capping a back-and-forth battle.
The last time the Beach started 4–0 in the Big West, in 2014, Long Beach State went undefeated in league play at 16–0 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 27th time. LBSU extended its winning streak to eight, the program's longest since 2023.
Both teams were held under .200 hitting. Long Beach State hit .193 compared to .168 for the Mustangs.
King hit .400, recording double-digit kills for the 13th time in 15 matches with a career-high 21. She also posted eight digs, four blocks, and four assists. Maxwell registered her seventh double-double of the year with 34 assists and a career-high 19 digs, while adding six kills. Agi notched her third double-double of the season with 14 kills and 12 digs, along with three assists and two blocks.
Cal Poly (11–5, 2–2 Big West) became the first Long Beach State opponent to record at least 90 digs in a match since 2012 (98 by UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 23, 2012) as the Mustangs totaled 91. Elif Hurriyet led the team with 17 digs. Beshear paced Cal Poly with 16 kills, seven digs, and five blocks. Leluge had 13 kills and six blocks, while Frederick posted a double-double with 10 kills and 17 digs.
Long Beach State (11–4, 4–0 Big West) travels to UC Riverside (5–9, 1–3 Big West) on Thursday night. ESPN+ coverage begins at 6 p.m.
Cal Poly came out swinging in the opening set, but Long Beach State rallied midway through to claim a 25–20 victory in the first frame. The Mustangs jumped to a 3–0 lead behind three straight attack errors from Long Beach State's Sidney Hamaker and a block from Annabelle Thalken and Charlotte Kelly. Cal Poly maintained early momentum, leading 5–3 after a kill from Kendall Beshear, but the Beach began to find their rhythm behind setter Madi Maxwell's distribution.
Elise Agi sparked a pivotal 6–0 run for Long Beach State with a service ace, back-to-back kills, and a solo block, turning an 8–6 deficit into a 13–8 lead and forcing a Cal Poly timeout. Logan King dominated at the net during the stretch, recording multiple kills and combining with Rhiann Sheffie for a key block.
Cal Poly closed within 17–16 after kills from Chloe Leluge and Thalken, but the Mustangs' service errors proved costly down the stretch. Agi and Sheffie each added late kills before King and Nieko Thomas sealed the set for the Beach, with Thomas delivering the set point and Kelly's attack error clinching it, 25–20.
Long Beach State took the second set, 25–18. After a back-and-forth start, the Beach surged ahead behind a balanced offensive attack led by King and Agi, who combined for multiple kills to help LBSU build a 10–5 advantage. The Mustangs struggled to sustain momentum, committing several attack errors that allowed the Beach to extend their lead to 16–8 following a solo block from Hamaker.
Cal Poly battled late behind Leluge and Beshear, trimming the deficit to 21–16 with a service ace from Beshear. A kill by Agi followed by a Tatum Hoff service ace resulted in a Cal Poly timeout. Maxwell and Emma Frederick traded kills before a Leluge service error closed the set for the Beach.
The Mustangs used a pair of long scoring runs to fend off Long Beach State, 26–24, in set three. After trading points early, the Mustangs erased a 9–7 deficit with a four-point surge sparked by Samantha Callahan's serve. A block from Beshear and Leluge capped the run for a 10–9 edge.
Long Beach State responded with its own 6–0 burst behind King's serving, fueled by two kills and an ace that pushed the Beach in front, 18–12. Cal Poly answered once again. Down six, Emme Bullis' serve ignited a 6–0 rally that tied the set at 18–18, highlighted by back-to-back kills from Kelly and Frederick. The teams traded blows from there until Cal Poly, trailing 24–23, fought off match point on a Beshear kill. Leluge then delivered consecutive kills — both assisted by Callahan — for the victory.
Long Beach State outlasted Cal Poly in a thrilling fourth set filled with momentum swings and late drama, pulling out a 27–25 win to clinch the match. The Mustangs jumped out to a 2–0 lead on a kill and an ace from Beshear, but the Beach answered behind back-to-back kills from King to take their first lead at 3–2. From there, the teams traded points in a seesaw opening stretch that saw ties at 3, 4, 6, and 7 before Cal Poly briefly surged ahead 8–7 on a block from Leluge and Kayla Murdoch.
Long Beach State countered with a 4–1 run sparked by two straight blocks from Thomas and King to move in front 11–7. Cal Poly clawed back behind a pair of solo blocks from Beshear, eventually evening the score at 19–19 after kills from Murdoch and Beshear fueled a 6–2 spurt.
The Mustangs momentarily went ahead 20–19, but the Beach reclaimed control with a three-point burst highlighted by an Agi kill and a Cal Poly attack error for a 22–20 advantage. Cal Poly rallied again, tying it at 22 and 23 before fending off two set points to even the frame at 25-all on a Frederick kill.
King and Hamaker sealed it for the Beach from there — King's cross-court finish made it 26–25, and Hamaker delivered the clincher off an Anna Jelinek assist for the 27–25 final. The decisive set featured 13 ties and seven lead changes, capping a back-and-forth battle.
The last time the Beach started 4–0 in the Big West, in 2014, Long Beach State went undefeated in league play at 16–0 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 27th time. LBSU extended its winning streak to eight, the program's longest since 2023.
Both teams were held under .200 hitting. Long Beach State hit .193 compared to .168 for the Mustangs.
King hit .400, recording double-digit kills for the 13th time in 15 matches with a career-high 21. She also posted eight digs, four blocks, and four assists. Maxwell registered her seventh double-double of the year with 34 assists and a career-high 19 digs, while adding six kills. Agi notched her third double-double of the season with 14 kills and 12 digs, along with three assists and two blocks.
Cal Poly (11–5, 2–2 Big West) became the first Long Beach State opponent to record at least 90 digs in a match since 2012 (98 by UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 23, 2012) as the Mustangs totaled 91. Elif Hurriyet led the team with 17 digs. Beshear paced Cal Poly with 16 kills, seven digs, and five blocks. Leluge had 13 kills and six blocks, while Frederick posted a double-double with 10 kills and 17 digs.
Long Beach State (11–4, 4–0 Big West) travels to UC Riverside (5–9, 1–3 Big West) on Thursday night. ESPN+ coverage begins at 6 p.m.
~#LongBeachBuilt~
Team Stats
CPO
LBSU
Kills
51
62
Errors
26
29
Attempts
149
171
Hitting %
.168
.193
Points
67.0
77.0
Assists
50
55
Aces
2
3
Blocks
14
12
Game Leaders
Kills
21
Aces
1
Blocks
4
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
L
/ Women's VolleyballOPP
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballMB
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