The No. 1 Long Beach State men’s volleyball team continued its perfect season by taking care of a feisty George Mason team in straight sets on the road in Fairfax, Virginia Saturday.
George Mason (4-7) would test Long Beach State (12-0) in the first set, battling through 13 ties and four lead changes, nearly breaking the team’s consecutive sets streak at 26. Long Beach would hold on and eventually take care of the pesky George Mason team in straight sets 26-24, 25-22, 25-19.
All concern about junior outside hitter Kyle Ensing’s health should be put to rest, as he led the 49ers in kills for a team leading eighth time this season, posting a match leading 12 kills (.611) to go with four digs and three blocks.
“George Mason came out firing away, and we kind of had to get back into it and match their level,” Ensing told LBSU_MVB via Twitter.
Junior setter Josh Tuaniga continued to lead the 49ers offense, dishing out 42 assists, three kills and six digs while pacing the team to a .577 hitting percentage.
“.577 as a team is a really big number, and that is a pretty big compliment to Josh [Tuaniga],” 49er head coach Alan Knipe told LBSU_MVB via Twitter.
Defense proved to be pivotal as the 49ers would hold the Patriots to a lackluster .154 hitting percentage on the night.
Senior middle blocker Nick Amado and Ensing controlled the net for Long Beach, leading the team with three blocks a piece, Amado would add six kills on the night.
“It wasn’t super comfortable blocking balls tonight,” Knipe said via Twitter. “We were working real hard at it and weren’t getting success.”
Junior libero Jordan Molina would hold down the backline on defense, leading the match with seven digs. He would also add two assists.
The Patriots would fail to put a player in double digits in kills, sophomore outside hitter Hayden Wagner would come the closest posting eight kills, one dig and one block.
Long Beach continues to etch its name in the program’s history books by becoming the third team to start a season 10-0 or better. The team has also failed to concede a set since Jan. 6, converting 29 consecutive sets.
“I liked the fight and the grit that they showed, and more importantly the execution and composure at the end,” said Knipe via Twitter.
Long Beach return to the court at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Walter Pyramid where the team will face No. 2 UCLA.