On Friday at the Walter Pyramid at Long Beach State, the University of Hawaii women’s volleyball team (9-5, 2-1 Big West) was swept by Long Beach State, 25-22, 26-24, 25-21.
The Beach closed out all three sets with strong finishes in each set. Nineteen hitting errors, ten service errors, and three serve reception errors plagued the ‘Bows with UH’s combined 32 errors. Amber Igiede and Kennedi Evans, Hawaii’s middle hitters, combined for 17 kills with a .307 hitting percentage, but their pin-hitters had a combination of 14-12-67 (.030). On 12 swings, Paula Guersching hit a career-best .500 and scored six kills while hitting a career-best .500.
A match-high 13 kills were shared by Igiede and Abby Karich of the Beach. The ace and five digs by Igiede contributed to his three blocks. In addition to eight blocks, Evans added four kills. The UH setter recorded 30 assists, 11 digs, and two blocks for her sixth double-double of the season.
The Beach fought back from an early 5-1 deficit to tie Hawaii at 7-7 and then overtake UH at 8-7, which was the Beach’s first win of the season. With a three-point run, UH sawsawed back in front 12-11. As a result, there was an 11-straight side out trading from that point on. With a 4-0 scoring run, the Beach went up 20-17 and never looked back. Long Beach State defeated UH 25-22 after UH rallied late.
In Set 2, the ‘Bows scored four points in a row to tie and take the lead, 8-5. A five-point lead for Hawaii at 15-10 was erased by the Beach, who retook the lead at 19-18. Beach leading 23-21, the Wahine took a 24-23 lead and served for the set after scoring three consecutive points. The second set was won by Long Beach State 26-24, giving them a 2-0 lead.
Early on in set 3, Beach jumped out to a quick 10-3 lead. After trailing by three points, Hawaii scored four consecutive points to go ahead, 16-15, and later surged ahead by six to one. In their first sweep over UH since 1997, the Beach pulled away from UH after holding a 17-16 lead in the final 13 minutes of the game.
In kills (43-to-38), percentage (.180-to-.157), and digs (56-to-50), the Beach outperformed Hawai’i. Despite that, Hawaiian Roofing Company outblocked Long Beach State, 12.0-to-7.0. Among the Beach’s top performers were Chacon with 13 digs and Meyer with 32 assists. A losing streak of 11 matches against Hawaii was snapped by Long Beach State.
A quick turnaround is in store for Hawaii as it heads down the I-5 on Saturday, Sept. 30 to take on UC San Diego ( ) at 4:00 p.m. local time at the LionTree Arena in La Jolla.
Also, read Wisconsin Volleyball Struggles
