The No. 8 Long Beach State men’s volleyball team kicked off its four-game homestand with a sweep over No. 5 UC Santa Barbara at the Walter Pyramid on Tuesday night.
Both teams were coming off three-set losses and were out to get a pick-me-up when they squared off against each other.
LBSU looked like a team on a mission as it took care of UCSB in three straight sets (25-18, 25-12, 25-22).
The match was won on offensive execution. LBSU (3-3, 2-1 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) posted a season-high hitting percentage of .422 and committed just 10 errors on the night. UCSB (3-3, 1-2 MPSF) was not as lucky, posting almost double the errors with 17.
The Gauchos did not do themselves any favors in the first set, notching nine errors and an .031 hitting percentage. That allowed the 49ers to get out to an early lead that they wouldn’t give up for the rest of the set.
The gem of the night, however, was found in the 49ers’ second-set performance where they hit .500 and held UCSB to a dismal .000. Four of the 49ers’ six service aces came from the second set alone.
“We served the ball really well and we dug a lot of their balls,” LBSU interim head coach Andy Read said. “We served well so we got aces and they can’t swing off an ace.”
UCSB refused to go down without a fight, keeping the score close in the third set. The Gauchos pulled within two points late in the frame but could only settle for trading kills with the 49ers. The match was finally decided on UCSB’s 14th and last service error of the night.
Junior opposite hitter Jim Baughman led the 49ers with 13 kills and three of LBSU’s six service aces. Senior middle blocker Antwain Aguillard led the team with a .750 hitting percentage, posting six kills on eight attempts.
“He’s the best middle blocker in the conference,” Read said. “He’s the most athletic middle in the conference and tonight he was pretty dominant.”
Senior setter Mike Klipsch added 32 assists for The Beach.
Seniors Jeff Menzel and Cullen Irons led UCSB with nine kills apiece, but neither of them posted hitting percentages above .200. That contributed to UCSB’s team percentage of just .169.
LBSU must now prepare for its match-up on Friday against No. 3 UCLA at Walter Pyramid.
“We’re going to protect our house on Friday,” Read said.
“We knew were going to come back and do this,” Baughman said. “We had a good feeling about today and we have a good feeling about Friday too.”
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