No. 2 Long Beach State Welcomes No. 6 Pepperdine In Top-10 Showdown

Friday, January 30

Malibu, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

Pepperdine

No. 2 Long Beach State Welcomes No. 6 Pepperdine In Top-10 Showdown

1/29/2026 3:04:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Game Notes - Pepperdine

Undefeated Beach carry seven-match winning streak into marquee early-season road test

By: Chelsea Pfohl, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- No. 2 Long Beach State continues its unbeaten start to the 2026 season this week as the Beach return to action Friday evening at 6 p.m. against No. 6 Pepperdine, renewing one of men's volleyball's most competitive rivalries. Long Beach State enters the matchup 7-0 after opening the season with seven straight wins, including six in straight sets, and has established itself early as one of the nation's most complete teams on both sides of the net.

RIGHT AWAY
• No. 2 Long Beach State enters the week undefeated at 7-0 after opening the season with seven straight victories, including six wins in straight sets. The Beach most recently defended home court with a pair of sweeps over Fort Valley State and LIU at the Walter Pyramid, extending their winning streak to seven matches to start the 2026 campaign.

• Through the first three weeks, Long Beach State has shown consistency across venues, posting a 4-0 record at home, a 2-0 mark on the road, and a 1-0 showing at neutral sites. The Beach have dropped just one set all season and continue to control matches with efficiency from the service line and at the net.

• The Beach are averaging 12.45 kills per set while holding opponents to just 8.86 kills per set, outscoring opponents by more than eight points per set overall and winning six of seven matches in straight sets.

IN THE RANKINGS
• Long Beach State remains firmly among the nation's elite, checking in at No. 2 in the latest AVCA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Poll with a 7-0 record, trailing only top-ranked UCLA. The Beach received multiple first-place votes and continue to separate themselves from the rest of the field early in the season.

• Statistically, Long Beach State ranks at or near the top nationally in several categories, highlighted by a No. 1 national ranking in aces per set (3.05) and blocks per set (3.09). The Beach also rank second nationally in hitting percentage (.432) and opponent hitting percentage (.142), showcasing dominance on both sides of the net.

• Additional team rankings include top-25 national marks in kills, assists, and digs per set, reinforcing the Beach's balance and depth across all phases of the game.

• Individually, Skyler Varga continues to lead the nation from the service line, ranking No. 1 nationally in aces per set (1.24) while also ranking among the national leaders in points per set (4.67) and hitting percentage (.416).

• Jackson Cryst anchors the net defense, ranking No. 5 nationally in blocks per set (1.41), while Kellen Larson continues to pace the back row, averaging 2.00 digs per set and ranking inside the top 40 nationally.

THIS WEEK
• Long Beach State returns to action this week against No. 6 Pepperdine, one of the nation's top programs, as the Beach prepare for their toughest test of the season to date. The Waves enter the week ranked sixth nationally with a 4-1 overall record.

• The matchup features two of the nation's most efficient teams, with Long Beach State ranking top five nationally in hitting percentage, opponent hitting percentage, aces, and blocks per set.

• Long Beach State holds a narrow edge in the all-time series against Pepperdine, leading 47-43 in a rivalry that has spanned decades and frequently featured postseason implications.

• The Beach enter the matchup riding a nine-match winning streak against the Waves, their longest run in the series, underscoring recent control in the head-to-head.

• The two teams last met on May 10, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio, with Long Beach State earning a four-set victory, 3-1, after dropping the opening set. The Beach responded with set wins of 25-23, 25-19, and 25-23 to advance.

• The Beach will look to continue their strong start and remain unbeaten as they face a Pepperdine squad that consistently ranks among the national leaders and brings postseason experience to the matchup.

BEACH READS - A BANNER UNVEILED, A STANDARD REAFFIRMED
• Long Beach State men's volleyball unveiled its 2025 national championship banner on January 24 inside the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid, turning the night into both a celebration of the program's fourth NCAA title and a homecoming that welcomed back championship alumni and former head coach Alan Knipe.

• The ceremony served as a reflection on the culture that has bolstered Long Beach State across decades, highlighting a standard built on continuity, resilience, and trust that carried the Beach through an adversity-filled 2025 season and culminated in a sweep of UCLA in the NCAA championship match.

• Now hanging above the court, the 2025 banner stands as more than a record of a title run. It marks a standard the program has been built to sustain, connecting past eras to the present and future of Beach volleyball.

Read more at www.longbeachstate.com.