No. 3 Long Beach State Sweeps No. 18 CSUN In Dominant Fashion

Saturday, March 28

Long Beach, Calif.

7 p.m.

Long Beach State University

16-4,2-2Big West

CSUN

12-8,0-4Big West

CSUN

Long Beach St.

No. 3 Long Beach State Sweeps No. 18 CSUN In Dominant Fashion

3/28/2026 9:36:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

Balanced offense and elite efficiency power Beach past the Matadors

By: Chelsea Pfohl, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State delivered on Saturday night, sweeping No. 18 CSUN 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-14) at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid. The No. 3 Beach improved to 16-4 overall and evened its Big West record at 2-2 with a match defined by overwhelming offensive efficiency and control from start to finish. The match also featured a moment of program recognition, as Long Beach State honored its 2016 Final Four men's volleyball squad during a timeout, connecting the throughline of the current team's success with one of the program's standout postseason runs.

Long Beach set the tone early in the opening set with aggressive serving and disciplined blocking. After a brief back-and-forth start, the Beach created separation behind a multi-block sequence and a service ace from Skyler Varga to jump ahead 5-1. CSUN responded with a mid-set push, tying the score at 14-14 behind transition swings and capitalizing on a few Long Beach service errors.

The turning point came immediately after. Daniil Hershtynovich stepped to the service line and served up three aces, sparking a 4-0 run that pushed the Beach ahead 19-14. From there, Long Beach regained full control, using efficient sideout offense and key kills from Varga and Alex Kandev to close the set 25-21.

The second set showcased Long Beach State at its best. After an even start at 7-7, the Beach exploded on a decisive serving run led by Jake Pazanti. The stretch included an ace and multiple transition kills from Ben Braun and Hershtynovich, quickly building a 12-7 advantage.

Offensively, Long Beach was nearly flawless. The Beach hit .737 in the set, consistently creating one-on-one opportunities through precise setter distribution. Kandev was especially effective in the middle, while the pins operated efficiently against single blocks. CSUN struggled to slow the tempo, and despite lineup adjustments and a mid-set challenge, Long Beach maintained control throughout, closing comfortably at 25-16.

In the third set, the Beach continued to apply pressure, turning a tight early score into a decisive advantage. A 4-0 run helped build a 9-4 lead, fueled by improved blocking discipline and transition execution. Long Beach's defense tightened at the net, forcing CSUN into out-of-system swings and limiting offensive options.

As the set progressed, the Beach extended the margin behind balanced scoring and continued efficiency. Kandev and Hershtynovich remained steady in termination, while Long Beach capitalized on late CSUN errors to pull away. The match ended fittingly on a Jackson Cryst and Hershtynovich block, sealing a commanding 25-14 win.

Long Beach State finished the match hitting .561 as a team while holding CSUN to .209, a decisive gap that reflected control in both first-ball sideout and transition phases. The Beach also dominated at the net, out-blocking CSUN 9.5 to 3.0.

Hershtynovich led the way with 11 kills and 15.5 points, while Kandev added 11 kills on .562 hitting for 11 points. Varga contributed 7 kills and strong two-way play, and Braun anchored the middle with 5 kills on .833 hitting. Varga also reached a significant career milestone, recording his 200th career block and bringing his totals to 762 kills, 329 digs, and 200 blocks.