The Long Beach State women’s volleyball team will enter its last week of Big West Conference play against UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton in the Walter Pyramid on Wednesday and Saturday.
“Right now, we’re the only non-football school in the top 25,” Gimmillaro said. “All the big football schools’ names are going to go up there, and then Long Beach State is going to go up there. It’s great to see us playing with those guys.”
The 49ers (24-4, 14-0 Big West Conference) hit No. 16 on the AVCA Coaches Poll this week after claiming the Big West title and the automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament last week on the road.
“We’re really excited,” senior Bre Mackie said. “This is definitely the highest [we’ve] been since I’ve been here in four years, so it’s really great to make that impact on the program.”
The NCAA Division I women’s volleyball selection show will be displayed on the big screen in the Walter Pyramid on Sunday at 5:30 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public.
But first, the 49ers must close out the season.
Both opposing teams are ending their season on the road. UCI has been on a four-game road trip and split two of its matches. CSUF will end its season at LBSU.
“I think they’re going to be good matches,” Mackie said. “We need to stay focused on us and how we play and not really worry about them – worry about our side of the net.”
The 49ers defeated UCI (18-11, 8-6 Big West) in four sets in their first meeting of this season.
The trio of outside hitters for the Anteaters led the team in offense. Sophomore Cassidy Pickrell is in front with 379 kills, senior Allison Lee has 336 and redshirt junior Marisa Bubica has 318.
Bubica and Pickrell are in the top five in kills per set in the Big West.
Sophomore setter Shelley Anderson has distributed 1087 assists in the season and leads the Big West with 10.76 assists per set.
CSUF (8-19, 2-12 Big West) lost its previous game to UCI despite career-highs from freshman Niki Withers and sophomore Paige Reed.
Withers posted a career-high 28 kills against the Anteaters, which was her second straight 20-plus kill performance.
Reed, who was named Big West Defensive Player of the Week before playing UCI, had an explosive career-best 32 digs in the loss.
Now closing out the season, Mackie said the team has continued to get better.
“I think we’ve really nit-picked at every part of our game,” Mackie said. “We’re trying to be the best we can, and we use every practice to keep improving for the next match.”
The Beach has swept its last four games and won 13 sets in a row. The 49ers are undefeated in the conference and hold a 14-game win streak.
“I think everyone kind of guns for us, so we have to be prepared for that,” Mackie said.
The 49ers play UCI on Wednesday and CSUF on Saturday. Both matches are in the Walter Pyramid and will start at 7 p.m.
The selection show will be on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. in the Walter Pyramid.