Junior outside hitter Caitlin Ledoux collected a double-double to power the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team to its fourth consecutive Big West Conference victory Thursday night at the Walter Pyramid.
The 49ers (20-6, 10-3 Big West Conference) swept Cal State Northridge -— 25-13, 25-15, 25-23 -— to move within one half-game of Cal State Fullerton in their race for the Big West title. The Titans (21-5, 10-2 Big West) had the night off Thursday, but will return to action Friday with four conference games left to play. CSUF will battle UC Irvine at 7 p.m. in a Big West showdown at Titan Gym.
“What Fullerton does, we have no control over,” LBSU head coach Brian Gimmillaro said. “All I know is we’ve got to get better and we have three tough [conference games] left.”
The Beach held a 19-12 cushion in the final frame before the Matadors roared back in the set with a 7-1 run sparked by Sam Orlandini’s efficient serving. However, the ‘Niners responded with some of their own ammunition as Lauren Minkel delivered an ace after an Orlandini service error to take a 22-19 lead. CSUN pulled within one point yet again, 24-23, before Ledoux closed out the set and match with an emphatic kill.
“This isn’t Kobe Bryant out there, they’re college kids,” Gimmillaro said of the ‘Niners near lapse in the third set. “They need to learn a lot every week … but I thought we played pretty well. We scored a lot of points on counter attacks.”
Ledoux finished with a match-high 16 kills to go along with 11 digs and a .371 hitting percentage. Middle blocker Haleigh Hampton added 11 kills on a team-high .429 percentage, while Ashley Lee chipped in with a game-high 37 assists.
“We had some hiccups, but it’s alright,” Ledoux said. “We came back, focused and finished it.”
Natalie Allen paced the Matadors (12-17, 4-9 Big West) with 10 kills, but the ‘Niners were able to limit star outside hitter Mahina Haina to just three kills on .083 hitting.
The Beach posted a decisive 25-15 victory in the second set as Ledoux and Johnson posted 10 of the team’s 15 kills.
The ‘Niners stormed out to a 21-11 lead after a 6-1 run that was highlighted by Gimmilaro saying, “Woo! great set!” as Lee orchestrated the play for Ledoux, who then finished over the net. LBSU then traded points with the Matadors before outside hitter Mahina Haina committed a service error into the net to close out the frame.
The Beach made quick work of the Matadors in the first set, 25-13, as every LBSU attacker recorded at least one kill. Lee shined for the ‘Niners as she dished out nine assists and four kills on a stellar .800 hitting percentage. Meanwhile, CSUN was held to a dismal .029 hitting percentage as Allen was only player to record more than one kill in the frame.
The 49ers dictated the pace as the Matadors trailed throughout the match and were held to a woeful .095 hitting percentage.
LBSU also finished with an impressive five service aces on the night and didn’t commit a single service error, while CSUN tallied nine.
“I thought our serving was a lot better,” Ledoux said. “I think we [finished] well up until the third [set] … so we’ll continue to work on that.”
The ‘Niners return to action Friday as they will battle UC Riverside in a Big West showdown. First serve at the Walter Pyramid is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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