Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
9-2,0-0Big West
UCLA
12-0,3-0MPSF
No. 2 Long Beach State Falls In Four-Set Battle At No. 1 UCLA
2/20/2026 10:51:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
Beach pushes unbeaten Bruins to the brink behind 18 kills from Skyler Varga in tightly contested road showdown
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- No. 2 Long Beach State fell to top-ranked UCLA in four sets, 25-15, 23-25, 27-25, 26-24, Friday night at Pauley Pavilion.
The Beach (9-2) pushed the undefeated Bruins (12-0) in a tightly contested battle that featured 28 tie scores and seven lead changes, including 12 ties in the pivotal third set. UCLA ultimately hit .447 as a team and totaled 10.5 blocks to hold off Long Beach down the stretch.
After dropping the opening set, Long Beach State responded with an efficient second frame, hitting .296 with 15 kills to even the match at one set apiece. The Beach sided out at a 66 percent clip in the set and used balanced production to secure the 25-23 win.
The third set proved decisive. Long Beach State hit .300 and sided out at 76 percent, but UCLA edged the Beach 27-25 behind late offensive efficiency. The Bruins then closed out the match in another tight battle, taking the fourth 26-24 while hitting .440 in the frame.
Skyler Varga led Long Beach State with 18 kills on .389 hitting. Wojciech Gajek added 13 kills and eight digs, while Alex Kandev finished with eight kills and two aces to lead the team from the service line. Setter Jake Pazanti directed the offense with 46 assists as the Beach hit .277 as a team.
Ben Braun was highly efficient with eight kills on nine swings for an .889 attack percentage, and Long Beach State totaled 52 kills in the match.
In a match defined by narrow margins and extended rallies, Long Beach State showed resilience and offensive firepower, but UCLA's consistency in key moments ultimately separated the two sides in the top-two showdown.
