Long Beach State University Athletics
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No. 2 Beach Battles No. 1 UCLA To The Wire In Five Sets, Falls 3-2
2/6/2026 10:52:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
No. 1 UCLA edges No. 2 Long Beach State in a thrilling sold-out rematch of last year’s national title match
LONG BEACH, Calif. - The first clash of the season between the nation's top two teams delivered everything expected of a championship rematch Friday night inside the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid.
In a battle between No. 2 Long Beach State and top-ranked UCLA, the Beach was pushed to five sets in a 25-16, 25-22, 22-25, 19-25, 10-15 decision. The match marked Long Beach State's first five-set contest of the season and the first time the Beach had taken UCLA the distance since 2022.
The night carried added significance, marking the first meeting between Long Beach State and UCLA after the Beach's national championship victory over the Bruin's last season. In front of a raucous sold-out crowd of 4,252, the Beach showed its championship pedigree early, taking control of the night with two strong opening sets.
Long Beach State set the tone immediately in the opening set, breaking open a tight early frame with a decisive run that created separation. The Beach hit .250 in the set and sided out at a 75 percent rate, closing the first frame 25-16 behind balanced offense and disciplined blocking at the net.
The second set tested Long Beach State early, as the teams traded points until Long Beach State settled in midway through the frame, using a steady run to flip the momentum and take control late. With the set on the line at 24-22, Alex Kandev put the ball down to seal the frame and send the Beach into the break up two sets.
In the third set, Long Beach State weathered UCLA's push and stayed within reach behind timely swings and a key stuff block by Daniil Hershtynovich midway through the frame. The Beach remained even late, but UCLA tied the set at 20-20 and closed the final points to take the set, 25-22.
The fourth set followed a similar pattern. The Beach battled early, but UCLA began to find rhythm from the service line and at the pins. The Bruins hit .464 in the frame, forcing a decisive fifth set and setting up the first extended pressure moment of the season for Long Beach State.
The deciding fifth set turned quickly into a sprint. UCLA jumped out early, forcing Long Beach State to chase, but the Beach stayed connected through tough sideouts and extended rallies as the score moved to the midpoint. With the margin still within reach, UCLA strung together a late run to create separation, and despite Long Beach State continuing to battle to the final whistle, the Bruins closed the set 15-10.
Long Beach State delivered several standout performances against the top-ranked Bruins, highlighted by Skyler Varga's team-high 12 kills, seven digs, two aces, two block assists, and one solo block. Alex Kandev contributed a double double with 10 kills, 10 digs, three service aces, two block assists, and one solo block, impacting the match in every phase. Daniil Hershtynovich also reached double figures with 10 kills while adding six digs and two block assists.
Setter Jake Pazanti finished with 34 assists, guiding an offense that produced 44 kills and posted a sideout percentage at or above .500 in all five frames. At the net, Long Beach State totaled 9.5 team blocks, continuing a season-long trend of strong defensive play.
As a team, the Beach recorded 44 kills, 36 digs, and 10 service aces, while holding UCLA to a .254 hitting percentage across five sets.
