A players-only meeting after the previous match appeared to have been the temporary solution for the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team Saturday night.
The No. 23-ranked 49ers (6-2) swept Virginia, 26-24, 25-16, 25-18, to close the Mizuno Invitational at the Walter Pyramid.
After dropping a four-set match to No. 25 San Diego, the ‘Niners stayed in the locker room for about 40 minutes longer than the initial 35-minute meeting with the coaches, who left the building.
“It was really touching because we don’t do it all the time,” sophomore outside hitter Janisa Johnson said. “Just to hear what the players had to say, it actually was really motivating.”
Head coach Brian Gimmillaro started freshman Ashley Vazquez at setter instead of senior Ashley Lee, who made her season debut the night before but was pulled late in the contest in favor of Vazquez. But he insisted that the decision was solely about Lee’s lack of practice time.
“It had nothing to do with Vazquez over Lee,” Gimmillaro said. “I started six players over 19 [other] players.
“It’s hard to come back, [Lee] just needs time.”
Johnson powered LBSU past the Cavaliers with 16 kills, 10 digs and four blocks. Vazquez chipped in with 39 assists and six digs.
“[Lee] is more defensive, but I’m actually really impressed with Ashley Vazquez,” Johnson said.
Virginia (5-4) was led by Simone Asque’s eight kills. The loss completed a trifecta of sweeps against top 25 opponents in a three-day span.
LBSU survived the first set against a Virginia team that was coming off 3-0 losses to No. 8 USC on Friday and No. 25 San Diego on Thursday. The 49ers needed extra points to win the frame, 26-24, and hit just .154.
The ‘Niners established a rhythm in set two, as Johnson leaped for six kills on .385 hitting and three blocks in a 25-16 victory.
Leading 17-14, LBSU claimed eight of the final 10 points capped by a Johnson tip for the winner. Virginia hit a woeful .049 in the frame.
The momentum carried over into set three, as the 49ers closed out Virginia, 25-18.
LBSU raced out to a 9-4 lead, which ballooned to 19-10, but the Cavaliers went on a 7-0 run to force an LBSU timeout. Michelle Osunbor and Delainey Aigner-Swesy teamed up for a 49ers block to stop the run and the team cruised the rest of the way.
“At the end of the second [set] and the third [set] we played some pretty good defense,” Gimmillaro said.
The Beach will travel to Fort Collins, Colo., for a doubleheader next Friday. LBSU will face Virginia Commonwealth at 11 a.m., followed by a 6 p.m. meeting with No. 15 Colorado State.
The 49ers will then head to Denver for another pair of matches Saturday against Middle Tennessee State (noon) and Denver (6 p.m.).
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