Classes at Long Beach State don’t start until Monday, but the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team passed its first test of the season Saturday night.
The 49ers knocked off No. 25 Saint Mary’s in a five-set thriller — 25-21, 25-27, 25-16, 26-28 and 15-7 — in front of 1,300 energized fans at the Walter Pyramid.
The Gaels edged the ‘Niners for the final spot in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Preseason Top 25 poll. But the 49ers (4-0) made a case for themselves on this night, overcoming adversity for the first time in the young season after sweeping their first three matches of the Long Beach State Baden Classic.
“This was our way of saying, ‘You know what? We deserve to be here and we need to come out there and show them who’s the better team,'” freshman middle blocker Haleigh Hampton said.
The 49ers improved to 6-0 all-time against the Gaels (2-1).
The Beach carried an 8-6 lead midway through set five as the teams switched sides, and the 49ers immediately followed with four consecutive points to force a Gaels timeout.
After the 49ers were called on the net to make the score 13-7, Hampton and Caitlin Ledoux collected the final two kills to end the match.
“Haleigh Hampton has incredible heart,” head coach Brian Gimmillaro said about his hobbled freshman. “Not only does she have great physical abilities, did you see her heart and her fight out there?”
Hampton said she didn’t expect to immediately take on a leadership role.
“I thought I was gonna be some freshman on the bench,” she said.
Ledoux knocked down 26 kills to go with eight digs and six blocks en route to being named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
“Everyone worked their asses off,” Ledoux said. “It was a really well fought match.”
Joining Ledoux, teammates Hampton, Janisa Johnson and Ashley Vazquez were named to the all-tournament team. The Gaels’ Lauren Corp, Megan York and Shannon Lowell, along with Sacred Heart’s Jessica Colberg, rounded out the honors.
Johnson continued her excellent all-around play, finishing with career highs of 21 kills and 26 digs. Vazquez recorded a personal-best 66 assists to go with 11 digs, while Hampton made 12 blocks and pounded 21 kills on 38 swings for a .447 clip to lead all players.
Lowell (16 kills and nine blocks) and Corp (15 kills and nine digs) paced the Gaels. York chipped in with 15 digs and nine kills.
Saint Mary’s opened a 12-7 lead in set four, only to watch LBSU claw back to pull within 19-18 and force a Gaels timeout. Hampton eventually swatted a kill to tie the set at 21.
Tied at 23, Johnson made two of her 11 spectacular digs in the set on a long rally, and Ledoux closed with a kill to give LBSU a match-point opportunity. However, Saint Mary’s Gabby Jolly tied the set with a controversial kill in which she appeared to be under the net.
The Gaels capitalized and squeezed out a 28-26 victory to force the deciding set.
The teams played to a 10-10 tie to open set three, but Hampton’s presence was the difference for LBSU, which claimed a pivotal 25-16 victory. Hampton recorded four kills and three blocks in the set, including a key dig and assisted block with Ledoux to give the 49ers set point.
The Gaels forced Gimmillaro to signal for his team’s first timeout of the season, as they opened set two with a 10-5 advantage.
The set eventually turned into a back-and-forth affair, with the teams battling to 18 ties and four lead changes. Saint Mary’s eventually handed The Beach its first lost set of the season with the help of a Ledoux back row attack error and an ace from Gaels setter Missy White to end the frame, 27-25.
Johnson continued her strong play from the outset, leading LBSU to a 25-21 opening-set victory with six kills, four digs and an ace in the frame. Johnson’s athletic dig off the net on set point kept the rally alive for teammate Michelle Osunbor, who hammered down the final kill to seal the set.
The Beach will travel to Austin, Texas next Friday for a two-day, two-match set against Florida A&M and host No. 3 Texas.
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