The Long Beach State women’s volleyball team has never had issues playing UC Davis and things remained that way Saturday night with first place in the Big West Conference at stake.
The 49ers improved to 11-0 all-time against the Aggies with a 3-0 sweep behind Caitlin Ledoux’s all-around play at the Walter Pyramid.
The sophomore outside hitter hammered down a match-high 15 kills on an impressive .500 hitting to go with 10 digs, two service aces and three blocks.
“I felt I didn’t really do a whole lot last night. I needed to bring a little bit more,” Ledoux said.
LBSU (16-6, 9-3 Big West) won the match, 25-20, 25-22, 25-22, to record its second sweep of the season over Davis (18-9, 9-4 Big West).
Meanwhile at Cal Poly, the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos lost in four sets to put the 49ers alone in first place by one-half game ahead of UCSB and Davis, which is the surprise of the conference after being picked to finish eighth in the preseason coaches’ poll.
“There was a feeling of wanting to win … and beat this team like we knew we could,” Ledoux said.
Middle blockers Naomi Washington and Brittney Herzog also recorded double-digits in kills with 10 apiece for the 49ers, who hit .315 in the contest including a scorching .448 in the final set.
“That’s good [to know] you don’t have to have one player to win,” head coach Brian Gimmillaro said about the team effort.
Herzog also added a match-best .562 hitting percentage. Defensively, libero Lauren Minkel matched Ledoux’s 10 digs.
Kayla Varney’s 11 kills on .333 hitting led the Aggies, who hit .214 in the match and recorded 10 team blocks.
Both teams battled midway through the third set until the ‘Niners found a little breathing room with a 19-15 lead thanks to a 3-0 run.
Davis chipped away to pull within a point at 19-18. But the Aggies were whistled for net violations on back-to-back plays to give the 49ers a 21-18 advantage.
Ledoux’s blocking then took over on the ensuing two plays to put them ahead, 23-18, and the ‘Niners eventually prevailed, 25-22, to complete the sweep of the match and season series.
Ledoux came up with six kills and seven digs to power LBSU to a set-two victory.
Trailing 7-5 to start the frame, the ‘Niners scored five consecutive points capped by a Ledoux service ace to take a 10-7 lead. The Beach pushed its lead to 18-14 midway through the set with a 3-0 run highlighted by a Michelle Osunbor kill and block on back-to-back plays.
The Aggies cut the deficit to 21-20 by scoring four of five points in a stretch late in the set, but the 49ers showed their composure to take a 2-0 lead.
LBSU rattled off the next three points and, after a pair of Davis scores, Washington ran from left to right to hammer a clean kill and give the ‘Niners a 25-22 victory.
The 49ers jumped out to a 1-0 lead after winning a closely contested first set, 25-20.
LBSU limited Davis to an .094 attack while countering with a .233 percentage behind Ledoux’s set-high six kills and a service ace on .667 hitting.
LBSU returns to the net at UC Riverside next Thursday. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
After the match against the Highlanders, the 49ers have just three conference matches remaining on the schedule: at Cal State Northridge (next Friday), and play host to UC Riverside (Nov. 20) and UC Irvine (Nov. 21).
“That’s definitely comforting to know that the end of conference [play] isn’t on the road,” Ledoux said.
The team will then finish up the regular season at home with a Thanksgiving weekend tournament against TCU, UNLV, Loyola Marymount and Utah on Nov. 27 and 28.