Long Beach State’s Women’s Volleyball team played their first official home match against the Boise State Broncos Thursday night to kick off the Long Beach State Tournament.
The match started off cold for The Beach as they began the first set with two consecutive service errors and soon found themselves calling timeout being down 1-6.
After returning from the timeout, The Beach had a small rally, shortening the Bronco’s lead and found themselves tied with the visitors at 14 a piece.
While being close in score with the Idaho-based school throughout the set, Long Beach wasn’t able to take the lead. Boise State Redshirt Junior Middle Blocker, Annie Kaminski (6 kills), closed out the first set with a score of 21-25.
“Doesn’t matter if we’re winning or losing, our girls are still staying together and that’s gonna be the model this season,” Long Beach State head coach Tyler Hildebrand said.
The second set was a tight battle between the two universities, as the score was tied 11 times throughout.
Long Beach was able to get their first lead of the game, with a 1-0 kill, but was never able to get a firm lead.
The second set was led by Long Beach Redshirt Freshman Setter, Zayna Meyer, as Meyer gave the opposing team a surprise setter attack, which led to a point. Meyer finished the game with a double-double (43 assists, 12 digs; including 6 kills).
After going back and forth in a heated match, The Beach was able to close out the second set, 25-22, with a service ace from sophomore defensive specialist, Savana Chacon (17 digs, 3 SA) the school’s first service ace of the night.
“Once we got the first set jitters off, we started to flow and play our game,” Long Beach senior defensive specialist Dylan Dela Cruz said.
Long Beach State’s third set began with a hot start as they lead Boise State 7-3, forcing them to call a timeout. The timeout did not cool off The Beach, as the team found themselves leading the Broncos 16-12, which led Boise State Head Coach, Shawn Garus to call another timeout.
The set ended in a win for The Beach, as a Boise State Sophomore Opposite Hitter, found the ball out of the play area, giving LBSU the third set, 25-19.
“As [coach] Tyler always says, ‘Perfect is the enemy of good,'” Long Beach sophomore defensive specialist Savana Chacon said.
The Beach found themselves outhitting the Broncos in the third set, .229 to -.036.
The Beach was able to get on the board first, as Senior Outside Hitter, Victoria O’Sullivan (double-double, 17 digs, 15 kills) gave LBSU the 1-0 kill to begin the fourth set.
The set soon found its control from Zayna Meyer once again as she hit two more surprise setter attacks.
Twice in the set, coach Hildebrand called two successful challenges, calling them “fairly obvious,” contributing to the school’s wide margin of victory.
Long Beach won the fourth set, as Redshirt Junior Outside HItter, Morgan Chacon got the game-high 21 kills, with the game’s final play, 25-18.
With this win, Long Beach women’s volleyball waited to return to action at Walter Pyramid Saturday, facing off against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.