The three-time All-Big West Conference junior outside hitter on the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team has experienced more than her share of individual success.
Caitlin Ledoux has amassed 1,255 career kills in less than three full seasons, sitting in ninth place all-time on the career top-10 list at The Beach.
But her 49ers (25-7) have yet to come out on the winning side against the University of San Diego (23-5), the first-round opponent Friday in the NCAA tournament. First serve at the Galen Center in Los Angeles is scheduled for 5 p.m.
In fact, the ‘Niners have dropped the last five meeting to the Toreros dating back to 2005, the latest coming in early September. The loss resulted in a 40-minute players-only meeting for The Beach.
“I think part of the reason why we struggled with San Diego was that it was at the beginning of the season,” Ledoux said. “We’re actually really excited to have a chance to play them at the end of the season to see which team has progressed more.”
It was a battle of two teams ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 Poll — LBSU at No. 23, USD at No. 25 — and the 49ers were coming off a quality five-set loss on the road at No. 2 Texas.
LBSU won the opening set over USD before dropping the next three as the Toreros claimed a 21-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-21 victory at the Walter Pyramid. Redshirt senior outside hitter Amy Mahinalani DeGroot led USD with 18 kills on .351 hitting and 12 digs, while Ledoux paced The Beach with 16 kills.
“It was a well played match,” Toreros head coach Jennifer Petrie said via telephone Tuesday. “They are a tough competitor. I’m sure both teams are much improved since that match.
“[LBSU] had some young kids on the court who gained some valuable experience.”
What you won’t find in that night’s box score is that the match was LBSU senior setter Ashley Lee’s season debut after missing the first six matches of the season with a broken right pinkie. Her erratic debut was cut short, however, when head coach Brian Gimmillaro brought in freshman setter Ashley Vazquez late in the fourth set.
“That’s when we were trying to figure out our team,” Ledoux said.
Petrie doesn’t expect rust to be an issue for the Toreros, who wrapped up the West Coast Conference with a sweep over Loyola Marymount on Nov. 20 and will come into the tournament with 13 days off between matches.
“[Practices] have been key for us all season,” Petrie said, crediting a “deep roster” that features back-to-back WCC player of the year Ali Troost and freshman of the year Chloe Ferrari. “Our scrimmages have been pretty competitive.”
The winner will advance to Saturday’s second round at the Galen Center to face the winner of the New Mexico/No. 6-seeded USC match. First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m.
“I think our team has grown in the last couple of months,” Ledoux said. “Physically, mentally with our volleyball skills — and every aspect of being a team — I think we’ve grown and we’re ready to show that to [USD].”
LBSU students will receive free admission by presenting a valid school ID card at the Galen Center box office.
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