Reports From LBSU
The Long Beach State men’s volleyball team suffered a tough loss after an intense five-game battle against UCLA Friday night at the Walter Pyramid. Game scores were 30-24, 22-30, 23-30, 30-28, 16-14.
The 49ers dropped to 12-15 overall and 8-12 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, while the Bruins improved to 15-11, 10-9 MPSF.
Dean Bittner led The Beach with 18 kills and five service aces. Dan Alexander followed with 16 kills and a .458 hitting percentage. Tommy Pestolesi nearly had a double-double with 14 kills and nine digs, while Kirk Francis had a game-high 11 digs. Conor Eaton directed the 49er offense to a .219 hitting percentage with 56 assists.
Long Beach State started out with a set one loss, 30-24. Bittner paced The Beach with six kills and a .750 hitting percentage. UCLA jumped out to a 17-9 lead until a service error by the Bruins started a 6-1 run for LBSU, which included two service aces by Bittner. This brought the 49ers within three at 18-15, but UCLA outscored Long Beach State, 12-9, down the stretch to hold on for the win. The Bruins outhit LBSU .524 to .138.
The Beach came back to win set two, 30-22. Alexander led the 49ers with eight kills. The two teams went back and forth until Long Beach State went up 14-11 on a kill by Alexander. LBSU set the pace from there, not allowing UCLA within three points the rest of the set.
The 49ers kept the momentum in the third game with a 30-23 victory. Long Beach State outhit UCLA .300 to .061. It was more back and forth action with seven tie scores early in the set. The Beach eventually took an 8-7 advantage with the Bruins keeping the pressure on until LBSU went up 24-19. Long Beach State then outscored UCLA, 6-4, to seal the victory.
In an intense fourth set, it was UCLA who came out on top, 30-28. Neither team led by more than three the entire game. The 49ers took a 26-23 advantage after a kill by Antwain Aguillard, but UCLA responded with three unanswered points to tie it up and eventually battled back for the win, sending the match to a decisive fifth set.
UCLA used a late rally to come from behind for a 16-14 game five victory. It was a hard-fought battle with Long Beach State taking match point after a service ace by Kyle Friend put the 49ers up 14-12. A service error by The Beach kept the Bruins alive as they went on to score the last four points in the set.
Long Beach State returns to action against Pepperdine on Thursday, April 15. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid.