Six days after knocking Cal State Fullerton out of first place, the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team could have the same opportunity presented — plus, a shot at redemption.
The 49ers will host Cal Poly (Friday) and UC Santa Barbara (Saturday) in a pair of critical Big West Conference matches at the Walter Pyramid. First serve for both matches is scheduled for 7 p.m.
LBSU (16-5, 6-2 Big West) started October by blowing a 2-0 lead in a five-set loss to UCSB (13-9, 7-2 Big West). Junior outside hitter Caitlin Ledoux said the 49ers carried the negative momentum to San Luis Obispo as Cal Poly swept The Beach, 3-0.
“I think, with Santa Barbara, we played really well the first two [sets] and then we got a little cocky, a little too confident,” Ledoux said. “That really screwed us up for Cal Poly.
“We really want to show Cal Poly and Santa Barbara that, that’s not how we play.”
But, the 49ers will not trot the same personnel onto the court when the teams met in the Central Coast. The Beach has found a spark with its serving, and the addition of sophomore Megan Johnson to the rotation. Johnson, who made her season debut Oct. 16 in Riverside, has three service aces in two matches.
Now, the Mustangs (17-6, 7-3 Big West) will look to snap LBSU’s five-match winning streak and derail its hopes for a third consecutive conference championship. Meanwhile, a night before heading to Long Beach, the Gauchos will be in Fullerton to try to stay atop the Big West standings.
“Coming off this weekend with Fullerton, and really fighting for that match, I think that will just carry over to this weekend,” Ledoux said.
The ‘Niners will close their conference schedule against the bottom half of the Big West, but four of the six matches will be on the road. So, Ledoux doesn’t expect the race to the top of the conference to be over this weekend.
“I think it will all come down to that last weekend, it usually does,” she said.
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