For the first time in three years, the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team lost a Big West Conference home match Friday night.
The 49ers lost in four sets — 26-24, 26-24, 21-25, 25-23 — to the Cal Poly Mustangs at the Walter Pyramid. Cal Poly was also the last conference opponent to win at the Pyramid on Oct. 20, 2007.
LBSU (16-6, 6-3 Big West) fell into a quick 5-0 hole to start the fourth set but battled back to tie the frame at 13.
With the 49ers leading 23-21, Cal Poly’s Kristina Graven collected the next three points including a service ace off the outstretched arm of LBSU’s Caitlin Ledoux to set up match-point. Holly Franks delivered the final kill to end the contest.
“We just couldn’t do it,” LBSU head coach Brian Gimmillaro said. “Too many subs, too many young people.
“We just didn’t have our lineup and the people were just too inexperienced.”
Starting outside hitter Janisa Johnson sat out with a concussion after falling down while receiving a flu shot, and will not be available tomorrow against UC Santa Barbara, Gimmillaro added. Among the players he used, sophomore outside hitter Jocelyn Neely made her season debut with a brief appearance in set three.
The Mustangs (18-6, 8-3 Big West) were led by Graven’s match-high 20 kills and eight digs. Jennifer Keddy (16), Dominique Olowolafe (12) and Catie Smith (11) also finished with double-figure kills as the team hit .223 for the match.
LBSU was paced by Ledoux’s 16 kills and nine digs. Haleigh Hampton added 12 kills and 10 blocks while Michelle Osunbor recorded 10 kills on .429 hitting. Senior setter Ashley Lee was one kill shy of a triple-double with nine kills, 14 digs and 39 assists.
Cal Poly’s serving gave The Beach trouble with six aces.
“I think we went out there with no energy and no fight in us tonight,” Hampton said. “Cal Poly’s a good team and were underestimated them again, and we just didn’t do our job.
“It was completely a mental game tonight.”
The 49ers avoided the sweep with a 25-21 win in set three.
LBSU led 18-11 but Cal Poly stormed back to pull within 23-20 on a double block from Olowolafe and Franks. Ledoux then accounted for two of the next three kills to force a fourth set.
In a set tied 16 times and neither team grabbing more than a three-point lead, the Mustangs pulled out a 26-24 win to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Tied at 22, Cal Poly was awarded a controversial point when referee Robert Okamura — the official furthest away from the play and on the opposite side of the court — ruled that the ball grazed LBSU libero Lauren Minkel.
“The problem with that is I said [to Okamura], ‘Did [you] not see the play before?'” Gimmillaro said. “And he said, ‘No, I only watch the net.’ And then he called the ball back there. I just thought, wow.”
Graven then gave the Mustangs a 24-22 advantage with a service ace, but the 49ers battled back to tie the set at 24. However, a soft kill from Smith preluded Keddy’s kill to cap the frame.
The ‘Niners squandered a six-point lead and handed the Mustangs a 26-24 victory in set one.
Leading 16-10, LBSU watched Cal Poly go on a 6-2 run to pull within 18-16. The 49ers stretched the lead to 23-19, but the Mustangs tied the set at 23 and forced a pair of timeouts in the process. Tied at 24, Lee’s serve barely grazed the bottom of the net, and Keddy sealed the win with a block.
The Beach committed six attack errors and four service errors in the frame.
The 49ers will host UC Santa Barbara tomorrow at the Walter Pyramid. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Gauchos (13-10, 7-3 Big West) lost to Cal State Fullerton (18-5, 7-2 Big West) in three sets Friday night in Fullerton. The loss knocked UCSB out of first place while catapulting the Titans into the top spot.
“We have to win tomorrow,” Hampton said. “This really put us in jeopardy for an NCAA bid. We can’t lose a match from here on out.”
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