Long Beach State Outlasts CSUN In Five-Set Thriller

Friday, March 27

Northridge, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

15-4,1-2Big West

CSUN

12-7,0-3Big West

Long Beach St.

CSUN

3/27/2026 9:04:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

Skyler Varga surpasses 750 career kills as Beach rallies for 3-2 road victory

By: Chelsea Pfohl, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -- Long Beach State outlasted CSUN in a five-set Big West battle, pulling away late for a 25-20, 20-25, 21-25, 25-18, 15-11 win on the road. In a match defined by swings in momentum and long service runs, the Beach leaned on offensive efficiency in key stretches and a decisive fifth set to secure the victory.

The opening set immediately established the tone, with both teams trading points through 13 ties. CSUN found early rhythm behind Jalen Phillips and Hank Kaufman, but Long Beach State countered through Skyler Varga and Jackson Cryst in transition. At 19-19, the Beach executed a clean closing sequence: Varga terminated twice in transition, Connor Bloom added a kill in system, and Varga finished the set emphatically at 25-20. Long Beach State hit .579 in the frame, siding out at an elite 95 percent clip, which neutralized CSUN's early offensive pressure.

Set two flipped the dynamic. CSUN increased service pressure and forced Long Beach State into out-of-system swings, holding the Beach to .222 hitting. Midway through the set, CSUN used a 5-1 run fueled by Phillips in transition and Kaufman in-system to stretch the lead to 20-16. Long Beach State briefly closed the gap behind Varga and Bloom, but late errors and a CSUN block sealed a 25-20 decision, evening the match.

CSUN carried that momentum into the third set, capitalizing on Long Beach State's lowest attacking output of the night at .083. After a tight start, the Matadors created separation with disciplined block positioning and transition scoring. Despite late resistance from the Beach, CSUN maintained control and closed 25-21 to take a 2-1 lead.

Facing a deficit, Long Beach State responded with its most complete set in the fourth. The Beach reestablished offensive balance, hitting .478 while limiting errors. After a back-and-forth opening, Long Beach State used a decisive mid-set run sparked by Daniil Hershtynovich's serving and consistent sideout production from Cryst and Varga. A service ace from Cryst and a series of clean first-ball kills pushed the margin to 18-13, and the Beach never relinquished control, finishing 25-18 to force a fifth.

The final set showcased execution under pressure. The teams traded points early, reaching an 8-7 media timeout with neither side able to separate. Out of the break, Long Beach State tightened its block and transition defense. A key stretch came with Hershtynovich at the service line, delivering back-to-back aces to extend the lead to 14-10. CSUN managed a sideout, but the Beach closed the match on a controlled offensive sequence, finishing 15-11.

Skyler Varga led Long Beach State with 18 kills on .375 hitting, adding five digs and key late-match swings. His performance also marked a significant milestone, as he surpassed 750 career kills and now sits at 755 total. Jackson Cryst was highly efficient with 12 kills on .846 hitting, while the Beach hit .368 as a team and sided out at a high rate in the sets they won.

Ultimately, Long Beach State's ability to rebound after a third-set drop, combined with superior efficiency in the first, fourth, and fifth sets, proved decisive in a tightly contested Big West matchup.