IRVINE — Despite a late run, the No. 3-ranked Long Beach State men's volleyball team couldn't overcome an early two-set deficit and dropped its second straight road game to No. 8 UC Irvine in four sets.
The 49ers (6-5, 5-3 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) lost, 25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23, at the Bren Events Center.
Freshman Connor Olbright got the nod Wednesday instead of veteran senior setter Mike Klipsch. Olbright notched 20 assists before being pulled in the third set for Klipsch, whose presence wasn't enough to spark a comeback for the 49ers.
LBSU blew a late fourth-set lead to allow UCI (7-8, 4-5 MPSF) to finish them off.
LBSU interim head coach Andy Read has featured plenty of diversity in who he starts and sits on a match-by-match basis.
So, who gets the start on Friday?
"If guys believe that they should start, then when they get the start they need to be good that night, the next night, and the next night," Read said.
Junior opposite Jim Baughman led the 49ers with 13 kills but was far from perfect, committing 12 errors and hitting just .024.
"I had an off day," Baughman said. "I'll be better Friday."
Things did not look good early on for LBSU. It wasn't until the second set that the 49ers were finally able to take their first lead of the match.
UCI junior opposite Carson Clark led the match with 24 kills on a .269 hitting percentage.
LBSU was able to steal a crucial third set to set up a possible comeback. The 49ers had taken down UCLA earlier in the season after going down 0-2, as well.
The Anteaters were responsible for their own undoing early on in the fourth set, trailing 8-5 after back row attack and double contact violations.
Flashbacks of last Friday's match against Cal State Northridge began to start when UCI mounted its own comeback late in the fourth set.
It was junior outside hitter Kevin Carroll that provided the Anteaters with the momentum they needed late in the fourth set with a big service ace to put them up 19-18.
The 49ers were only able to out-block their opponents, scoring 10.5 to UCI's 9.5.
Junior middle blocker Ryan Meehan came up big for LBSU with six blocks — including one solo — to aid LBSU's defensive efforts.
LBSU will now travel down to No. 12 UC San Diego to take on the Tritons for the first time this season. The matchup is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday.
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