The Long Beach State women’s volleyball team took some time to find its momentum against UC Riverside, but the 49ers still were able to complete a sweep with scores of 25-16, 25-15 and 25-8.
Chisom Okpala hit a .389 with nine kills and had a team-leading six blocks for the night. Alex Reid also had nine kills with Delainey Aigner-Swesey adding eight kills and a team-leading 13 digs. Erin Juley dished out 28 assists and three of the team’s 38 kills.
The match started at a slow pace, but Mackie was able to make the 49ers’ first kill to put them up 4-0. Both teams struggled to put the ball down, as they acquired only 11 kills combined over half way through the set. But it was the 49ers’ defense at the net that gave them a 16-8 lead.
A Mackie kill gave the 49ers their biggest lead at 18-8, but a few unforced errors gave the Highlanders a three-point run to reduce the lead at 20-14. Juley ended the set with a dump in the middle.
The 49ers couldn’t put the ball away after the Highlanders took the first kill that allowed them to stay in the lead for the first 13 points. Aigner-Swesey took the first untouched kill at 5-7 and a Juley and Okpala block and a kill from Reid tied them at 7-7. But the Highlanders came back to take the lead again for the next 11 points. After a Mackie block for another tie at 13-13, the 49ers stayed ahead as the Highlanders made six unforced errors with Chelsea Cabrajac serving the last six points to end the game.
The Highlanders trailed the 49ers the entire third match by as much as 18 points. A quick play in the middle ended the 49ers’ 11-point run at 16-4, but the 49ers quickly got it back and went on a seven-point run that ended after a hard block from Aigner-Swesey and Okpala. The Highlanders went on a three-point run at game point, but a service error quickly ended the match.
The Highlanders had 21 kills but hit a -.054 due to their 26 hitting errors. Christina Maietta contributed five kills, Maddie Hubbell with 10 digs and Nae Bender with 13 assists.
Although the 49ers have a hard-hitting team, they struggled many times during the game to put the ball down right away.
“Usually when you find it hard to score against a team, it’s because their defense is good,” head coach Brian Gimmillaro said.
Okpala said she believes the inspirational talk her team had on being able to play to their potential and as a team during the previous game against Cal State Fullerton, helped with their victory against the Highlanders.
The 49ers will host one match next Saturday against UC Irvine at the Walter Pyramid at 7 p.m.