Long Beach State University Athletics
Friday, April 3
La Jolla, Calif.
7 p.m.
Long Beach State University
17-4,3-2Big West
3
at
1
UC San Diego
11-10,2-4Big West
1st set1
2nd set2
3rd set3
4th set4
FinalF
Long Beach St.
23
29
25
25
3
UC San Diego
25
27
21
20
1
No. 3 Long Beach State Rallies Past No. 13 UC San Diego In 3-1 Road Win
4/3/2026 10:01:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
Beach responds to early deficit with dominant blocking and late-set execution
LA JOLLA, Calif. – No. 3 Long Beach State dropped the opening frame but responded with composure and control the rest of the night, defeating No. 13 UC San Diego 3-1 (23-25, 29-27, 25-21, 25-20) at LionTree Arena.
UC San Diego established the tone early, playing clean, efficient volleyball and taking advantage of Long Beach service errors to build separation. The Tritons' offense flowed through Leo Pravednikov and Sebastiano Sani, and their ability to convert in transition kept Long Beach chasing. Even when the Beach made a late push behind Daniil Hershtynovich and a pair of aces from Alex Kandev that cut it to 24-23, UCSD stayed in system and closed out the set at 25-23.
The match turned into a battle of endurance and execution in the second set as both teams settled in. Long Beach began to find rhythm offensively, leaning on Hershtynovich in high-pressure swings while Kandev added physicality on the pin. Rallies extended, leads disappeared quickly, and neither side could create separation deep into the 20s, with the score tied at 24-24, 25-25, 26-26, and 27-27. Under that pressure, Long Beach was steadier. After trading multiple set points, a UCSD error and a decisive Kandev swing finally broke the deadlock and ended it at 29-27 to even the match.
That shift carried forward as Long Beach's structure improved across the board in the third frame. The Beach offense diversified, with Connor Bloom providing a spark and Island Doty distributing effectively to keep UCSD's block guessing. At the net, Long Beach began to impose itself, turning touches into points and slowing the Tritons' outside attack. With the score tight at 20-20, Long Beach strung together a decisive run, fueled by transition kills and a closing block that created separation and finished the set 25-21.
In the fourth set, Long Beach dictated the terms. Their sideout efficiency climbed, and their block became the defining element of the match. UC San Diego continued to compete, but more swings were forced out of system, and errors began to creep in. Varga and Bloom delivered key points during a mid-set surge that extended the lead from 15-13 to 19-15, while Jackson Cryst anchored the front line defensively. A late push stretched the margin to 24-19, and Long Beach finished it off at 25-20.
Hershtynovich led the Beach with 16 kills on a highly efficient night, consistently delivering in transition. Kandev added 12 kills and a match-high 17 points, impacting the match from both the service line and the front row. Bloom's six kills on .545 hitting provided a crucial lift, while Doty's 46 assists guided a balanced offense that hit .310 as a team.
After absorbing the early punch, Long Beach adjusted, stabilized, and ultimately controlled the match through discipline at the net and execution in extended rallies.
UC San Diego established the tone early, playing clean, efficient volleyball and taking advantage of Long Beach service errors to build separation. The Tritons' offense flowed through Leo Pravednikov and Sebastiano Sani, and their ability to convert in transition kept Long Beach chasing. Even when the Beach made a late push behind Daniil Hershtynovich and a pair of aces from Alex Kandev that cut it to 24-23, UCSD stayed in system and closed out the set at 25-23.
The match turned into a battle of endurance and execution in the second set as both teams settled in. Long Beach began to find rhythm offensively, leaning on Hershtynovich in high-pressure swings while Kandev added physicality on the pin. Rallies extended, leads disappeared quickly, and neither side could create separation deep into the 20s, with the score tied at 24-24, 25-25, 26-26, and 27-27. Under that pressure, Long Beach was steadier. After trading multiple set points, a UCSD error and a decisive Kandev swing finally broke the deadlock and ended it at 29-27 to even the match.
That shift carried forward as Long Beach's structure improved across the board in the third frame. The Beach offense diversified, with Connor Bloom providing a spark and Island Doty distributing effectively to keep UCSD's block guessing. At the net, Long Beach began to impose itself, turning touches into points and slowing the Tritons' outside attack. With the score tight at 20-20, Long Beach strung together a decisive run, fueled by transition kills and a closing block that created separation and finished the set 25-21.
In the fourth set, Long Beach dictated the terms. Their sideout efficiency climbed, and their block became the defining element of the match. UC San Diego continued to compete, but more swings were forced out of system, and errors began to creep in. Varga and Bloom delivered key points during a mid-set surge that extended the lead from 15-13 to 19-15, while Jackson Cryst anchored the front line defensively. A late push stretched the margin to 24-19, and Long Beach finished it off at 25-20.
Hershtynovich led the Beach with 16 kills on a highly efficient night, consistently delivering in transition. Kandev added 12 kills and a match-high 17 points, impacting the match from both the service line and the front row. Bloom's six kills on .545 hitting provided a crucial lift, while Doty's 46 assists guided a balanced offense that hit .310 as a team.
After absorbing the early punch, Long Beach adjusted, stabilized, and ultimately controlled the match through discipline at the net and execution in extended rallies.
Team Stats
LBSU
UCSD
Kills
52
55
Errors
16
22
Attempts
116
127
Hitting %
.310
.260
Points
71.5
62.0
Assists
51
54
Aces
6
2
Blocks
13.5
5
Game Leaders
Kills
16
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
12
Aces
3
Blocks
4
Kills
8
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
OH/OPP
/ Men's Volleyball
MB
/ Men's Volleyball
S
/ Men's VolleyballOPP
/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's Volleyball
OH
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