With its final game of the 2016-2017 campaign, the women’s volleyball team finished the season with a 25-20, 25-19, 21-25, 25-16 win against Denver University Saturday at Walter Pyramid.
The 49ers finished with a 21-10 record while finishing 13-3 in Big West play to take second in the conference.
2016 was up and down for team, as they were 7-8 on Sept. 30 with conference play just starting. From there, LBSU went 14-2 to finish off the year on a high note.
One highlight for the team was its five-set win against Hawai’i at Walter Pyramid Oct. 8 in front of 3,212 fans.
In the match, both teams traded games as LBSU won the first, third and fifth sets while Hawai’i won the second and fourth sets.
The 49ers had four players reach double-digits in kills. Senior outside Nele Barber led the way with 20 kills and 21 digs.
Along with its win over Hawai’i, the 49ers won 20 or more games for the 27th time under head coach Brian Gimmillaro.
Along with the team’s impressive season, four players earned All-Big West honors. Freshman libero Hailey Harward was named to the All-freshman team. Harward averaged 4.09 digs per set in Big West play. She also had a career-best 27 digs against Hawai’i Oct. 8.
Junior middle blocker Ashley Murray was named to the All-Big West first team. Murray ranked eighth in the Big West with a .310 hitting percentage.
Murray also received the award after getting an honorable mention last season.
The big winner for LBSU was freshman middle block YiZhi Xue who was named to the Big West First Team and the All-freshman team with Harward.
Xue made an immediate impact for the 49ers and led the Big West in hitting percentage during conference play. Throughout her first year, Xue was named the Big West Defensive Player of the Week once and Big West Freshman of the Week twice.
Along with her accolades, Xue is the sixth player in LBSU history to be named First Team All-Big West as a freshman.