The Long Beach State women’s volleyball team will be in a familiar setup this weekend when it faces the University of San Diego in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in the Pauley Pavilion on Friday.
The 49ers (26-4, 16-0 Big West Conference) have faced USD (19-11, 12-6 West Coast Conference) in the first round of their last two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2010 and 2011, losing both matches.
“We kind of had the same set up as freshman year,” senior co-captain Tyler Jackson said. “I think everyone just wants redemption and just get it back from freshman year.”
In the last meeting against the Toreros, the 49ers took the first set, then lost the next three 25-23, 24-26, 19-25 and 21-25.
“I think [USD was] a lot better my freshman year,” Jackson said. “And I think now we are a lot better. So I think there’s going to be a different outcome.”
LBSU moved up to No. 15 in the AVCA Coaches Poll after its undefeated conference season, but remained the only team in the top 16 that isn’t hosting the NCAA first-round matchups, and head coach Brian Gimmillaro doesn’t like it.
“It’s not the first time,” Gimmillaro said. “We’ve hosted several times, but we’ve been on the road when we’re in the top 16 in several occasions. I wish [the committee would] make note of that.”
Jackson said the decision didn’t come as a surprise.
“It wasn’t a shocker that the committee didn’t let us host, but it is what it is,” Jackson said. “I really wanted to host especially for our senior year.”
Nonetheless, the bracket stands. 12th-seeded UCLA will host the first-round matchups of LBSU-USD, and UCLA against Long Island University, Brooklyn. The winner of each match will play each other on Saturday.
The 49ers closed out Big West Conference play by sweeping the top awards: junior setter Jenelle Hudson won Player of the Year, middle blocker Ashley Murray won Freshman of the Year and Gimmillaro earned Head Coach of the Year.
“I think now just being undefeated, everyone on the team has a lot more confidence going into playoffs,” Jackson said.
Now the focus shifts from conference play to the playoffs.
“First, it’s all about San Diego, then the game plan against UCLA, if we’re successful,” Gimmillaro said. “San Diego has got a very good outside hitter and gets many more sets than anyone else, and UCLA has a dominant player who gets many more sets than anybody else.”
Senior middle and outside hitter Alaysia Brown leads USD with 417 kills on 1017 attempts, hitting .259.
Redshirt sophomore Lisa Kramer leads the Toreros with 91 blocks, but two other players are close behind; sophomore opposite hitter Lauren Schad has 90 and junior middle blocker Canace Finley has 82.
A few players from LBSU will look to get over 300 season kills after the tournament.
Senior Bre Mackie leads the team with 299 kills and 122 total blocks. Junior Alex Reid adds on 289 kills and senior Chisom Okpala has 281 kills.
Hudson dished out 1082 assists while Jackson has 419 digs, both team-highs.
This year, the 49ers are hitting .262 as team and holding opponents to .149 hitting. The 2011 team hit .252 and held opponents to .155 hitting.
The match against USD is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The winner of the match will face either UCLA or LIU-Brooklyn at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Both matches will be in the Pauley Pavilion at UCLA.