It didn’t take long for a pair of starting freshmen on the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team to contribute Friday night.
The No. 24-ranked 49ers swept Indiana, 3-0, in the second match of a doubleheader in front of 1,348 at the Walter Pyramid.
LBSU (2-0) won 25-19, 25-20, 25-21 with help from the freshmen tandem of Caitlin Ledoux and Cat Highmark, who each tallied a team-high nine kills in just their second career match as 49ers. Ledoux also added eight digs.
The pair teamed up for 12 kills apiece in a 3-1 win over the University of San Francisco earlier in the day to kick off the season-opening LBSU Invitational.
“Highmark’s a setter, but she’s hitting for us,” head coach Brian Gimmillaro said. “She’s good, so we have her doing whatever she can do.
“And Caitlin Ledoux got a little tired, but we’re asking more of her than any freshman in the country.”
A modest Highmark said the role change is a big transition.
“I was supposed to come here and set behind Nicole [Vargas],” she said, “and then they asked me if I wanted to hit. I was nervous. I wasn’t sure if I was contributing. I think I can do better.”
Vargas, a senior setter, contributed 27 assists and eight digs for the ‘Niners, which were second only to sophomore Ashley Lee’s team-high 18 digs.
The Hoosiers’ attack was led by senior Erica Short and junior Kelsey Hall, who tied with a match-high 10 kills. But Indiana was plagued by 10 service errors and hit just .107 as a team, including a woeful .079 in the third set — which was actually higher than LBSU’s .027. However, the Hoosiers committed five service errors in the set and couldn’t avoid the sweep.
Highmark helped the 49ers withstand Indiana’s comeback attempt, ending a long rally late in the third set to kill the momentum and give the Beach a 23-19 advantage. A Hoosier serve sailed out of bounds to end the set, 25-21, and complete the sweep.
To start the second set, the teams traded points until the mandatory media timeout when Indiana pulled ahead, 15-14.
Highlighted by a service ace from senior libero Iris Murray, the 49ers took control for an 18-15 advantage. Ledoux extended the lead by a point with a soft touch over net to put LBSU ahead, 22-18. The Hoosiers closed the set by committing one of four service errors, giving the 49ers a 25-20 win.
Ledoux credited junior middle blocker Naomi Washington, Murray, Vargas and the rest of the upperclassmen on the team for making the transition an easy one.
“They make it easy to play with them,” Ledoux said. “I think we’ll get better as we move on and get more comfortable.”
Washington and senior outside hitter Quincy Verdin recorded three kills apiece to lead the ‘Niner attack in the second set.
Trailing 6-3 to start the first set, LBSU scored seven straight points to take a 14-12 lead and force an Indiana timeout. Highmark capped off the scoring with one of her team-high four kills in the set to give the 49ers a 25-19 victory.
Fresh off an appearance in the Beijing Olympics, silver medalist and ex-49er Tayyiba Haneef-Park was in attendance and recognized before the match.
“It was nice of how the people here reacted,” Gimmillaro said about the reception. “That was pretty cool. And she just got home and where did she come? She comes to her home. It’s pretty neat.”
The 49ers return to action tomorrow against Missouri State at 7 p.m. to conclude the tournament at the Walter Pyramid.