Beach Rallies For Second Straight Win Over Washington State

Friday, September 18

Pullman, Wash.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

8-2,0-0Big West

Washington State

5-5,0-0Pac-12

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Long Beach St.	25	22	21	25	15	3
Washington St.	23	25	25	20	6	2

9/18/2026 9:41:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

The Beach prevailed in another five-setter to extend their winning streak to eight matches.

By: Roger Kirk, Associate Athletics Director, Communications & Broadcast

PULLMAN, Wash. – Long Beach State battled back from a 2-1 deficit, showing their grit in extending their winning streak to eight straight matches with a second win of the team's trip to Pullman against Washington State in a 25-23, 22-25, 21-25, 25-20, 15-6 final.

Defense led the way on the night for Long Beach State (8-2), which had 74 total digs. Libero Anna Jelinek and setter Madi Maxwell shared the honors with 21 total digs apiece. Maxwell added four blocks, eight kills and 35 assists in a huge night for the Beach.

Offensively, Sidney Hamaker matched a career high with 20 kills, and Chloe Johnson set her career best with 13 kills while in the middle. Pola Bujnarowska finished with eight kills, Reagan Hope had six, and Kyler Birkelbach gave the Beach a lift late in the victory.

After a sweep Thursday, Long Beach State got off to another great start against Washington State (5-5), taking the first set. The action showed that it was going to be a very close night of volleyball, with neither team taking a three-point lead until Johnson gave the Beach a 17-14 edge with a kill. A Laurel Barsocchini ace pushed the lead to 20-16, and the Beach closed out the first set, 25-23.

Washington State recovered to grab wins in the second and third sets. In the second, Long Beach State trailed by just one at 14-13, but kills from Audrey Hollis and Naomi White pushed the Cougars into a larger lead. Up six at 20-14, WSU closed out the set, 25-22. Eight LBSU errors in the third set helped Washington State take that set as well, in a 25-21 victory.

Backs to the wall, Long Beach State bounced back in a nervy fourth set. Making her first appearance in Pullman, Birkelbach was effective with two kills on two swings in the set, but six blocks as a team helped force the Cougars into -.061 hitting for the set. The Beach rallied from a 14-9 deficit to a 25-20 victory, setting up the final set.

With the momentum from the fourth, Long Beach State dominated the fifth set. Hamaker and Johnson put down back-to-back kills to establish a 5-2 lead, and up 8-4, Barsocchini went on a four-point service run that included two kills from Kyler Birkelbach to push the lead to 12-4 on the way to a 15-6 win.

With non-conference play coming to a close, a busy Big West slate begins next week with two road matches against UC Irvine and UC San Diego. The Black and Blue Rivalry starts things off on Friday, September 25, at 6 p.m. in the Bren Events Center.