With a win over St. Mary’s in a five-game match at the Nebraska Labor Day Invitational last Saturday, the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team hopes to do it again today as it try to keep dominance over St. Mary’s.
The 49ers (5-2) have never lost to the Gaels (3-3), going 4-0 lifetime against them. The 49ers will then finish off the weekend against Idaho (0-6). Since 1984, the 49ers have hosted a 15-0 undefeated mark against Idaho.
Last time the 49ers played the Gales, they finished them off in a shootout, losing the first game 22-30 and rebounding to win the next three of four, 30-25, 30-22, 28-30 and 15-7.
In that match, Naomi Washington led the 49er offense with a career-high 20 kills. Alexis Crimes had 14 kills and six blocks and Michaela Hasalikova had 13 kills, producing a .310 hit average.
In her second match back from an Aug. 30 ankle injury, Robin Miramontes posted a double-double with 15 kills and 16 digs.
Defensively, the 49ers had 100 kills in the five-set marathon against St. Mary’s. It was the eighth most digs in a single match in LBSU history.
Also against St. Mary’s, Nicole Vargas had 69 assists and 13 digs, recording her first double-double of the season against the Gaels. Iris Murray also had a career night with 29 digs, which was the fourth-best single game mark in LBSU history.
Overall this season, Mira-montes is averaging 2.58 kills and 2.68 digs per game. She registered a double-double on opening night with 11 kills and a career high 15 digs. Besides her performance against the Gaels, Miramontes also recorded a season-high seven blocks against Middle Tennessee this past weekend.
Crimes is averaging 1.44 blocks per game and ranks No. 1 in the Big West in blocks per game and No. 10 in attack percentage with .289. Hasalikova on the other hand is hitting .324 on the season and is tied with Crimes for the Big West lead in blocks per game with 1.44.
LBSU learned in Nebraska that St. Mary’s also has standouts.
In last weeks’ match against the LBSU, two senior Gaels recorded their first double-doubles of the young season. Mandy Bible had 57 assists and 18 digs and Lauren Holland had 13 kills and 15 digs.
Senior middle blocker Christina Kirk is averaging 2.62 kills with a .347 hitting percentage. Kirk’s best game of the Nebraska Invitational came against Middle Tennessee State when she recorded 15 kills and six blocks.
But freshmen are also putting in an effort. In three games against Troy last week, outside hitter Lauren Jaeckel recorded eight kills with a .261 hitting percentage and Megan Burton had four blocks and a .400 hitting percentage against North Florida Aug. 26.