For a second consecutive season, the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team finds itself pitted against Texas in an early-season affair.
Even the rankings for both teams are identical from last season’s contest.
The No. 23 49ers (4-0) will travel to Austin, Texas to face the No. 2 Longhorns (3-0) on Saturday in the second match of the Time Warner Cable Texas Invitational. First serve is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. LBSU will also face Florida A&M (0-3) at 2:30 p.m. on Friday.
The differences are significant, however, as the rematch will not be played in the friendly confines of the Walter Pyramid. If the Longhorns win their next two matches prior to the LBSU meeting, then the 49ers will have the daunting task of snapping a 26-match home winning streak dating back to Nov. 1, 2008.
“It’s great experience for us to go into an environment that’s foreign,” LBSU head coach Brian Gimmillaro said. “It’ll be hostile. You’re not going to get any calls.”
Also, key players — on both sides — from last season’s teams were either seniors, or are injured to start this season.
“It’ll allow three freshmen to play under heat,” Gimmillaro said, alluding to setter Ashley Vazquez, middle blocker Haleigh Hampton and outside hitter Delainey Aigner-Swesy. “That’s a pretty tough environment to take an inexperienced 17-year-old into the heat.”
The 26th-year head coach said starting setter Ashley Lee (broken right pinkie) will not make her season debut this week.
“I feel happy for Ashley Vazquez that she can play. I feel it’s very difficult for Ashley Lee, as a senior,” Gimmillaro added. “Ashley Lee gets one more chance (to avenge last year’s loss) and, for her not to get that chance, I feel bad for her.”
Last season, The Beach lost the upset bid in the fourth set of a five-set heartbreaker to Texas, which rallied from a two-set deficit.
“I’ve been waiting for this matchup since last year, since the fifth [set] of last year,” 49ers junior middle blocker Michelle Osunbor said.
It will be a homecoming of sorts for Osunbor, who is a Dallas native and expects to have at least 10 friends and family members in attendance at the Gregory Gymnasium.
The Longhorns, last season’s national runner-up, feature 2009 third-team All-American Juliann Faucette and junior middle blocker Rachael Adams. The duo has combined for 57 kills through the team’s first three matches.
Texas will start a freshman of its own at setter — Hannah Allison, the No. 9 nationally-ranked recruit by PrepVolleyball. Allison has posted 31 assists or more in each of her first three collegiate matches.
The Longhorns will be without the services of outside hitter Bailey Webster, the nation’s top-rated high school recruit in 2009. The 6-foot-3 sophomore suffered a season-ending knee injury during a preseason practice, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Before the marquee matchup, the ‘Niners will look to win their fifth straight match the day before against winless Florida A&M.
“We’re not overlooking Florida A&M,” Osunbor said.
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