This team is an riddle wrapped in an enigma.

After starting the Big West schedule 2-0 at home last weekend, Long Beach State hit .273, but were bested by a Pacific attack that finished at .366 in a 25-16, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22 loss on the road in Stockton on Saturday. Naomi Washington led the 49ers with 20 kills.

Washington finished with 20 kills on .333 hitting and Caitlin Ledoux added 16 kills on .268 hitting for the 49ers, but a prolific Pacific attack outdid the 49ers top hitters, as Mallori Gibson finished with 21 kills on .400 hitting, and middle blocker Natalia Tomaszewka hit. 471 with six blocks on .471 hitting for Pacific.

The Tigers came out their strongest in the first set. Long Beach State earned three straight points to take an 11-10 lead, but Pacific answered with eight straight points to take an 18-11 lead and moved out to a 25-16 win. Overall, the Tigers hit .517 in the set and Gibson hit .727 to pace Pacific to the win.

The 49ers rebounded with a better effort in set two, as Ledoux had a fine set with five kills and no errors to lead The Beach. After Pacific took an 11-8 lead on a kill from Svenja Engelhardt, Long Beach State recovered to tie the set at 11 on a Washington kill. Trailing 15-14, the 49ers then scored seven straight points behind a pair of Ledoux kills to take a 21-15 lead, and would hold on to take the set 25-22.

Pacific came out early in the third set, taking a 5-1 lead and would never trail in the set. That cushion would stay constant until late in the set, but Pacific eventually took a 19-11 lead. The 49ers rallied to cut the lead to two at 23-21, but the damage was done and the Tigers held on for a 25-22 win.

The final set was the closest, with momentum swinging throughout with 18 ties and 14 lead changes in the set. Long Beach State took the first two-point lead of the entire set at 21-19 after two Ledoux kills and a Gibson attack error. However, Pacific picked up three straight kills to take the lead, and after an Engelhardt kill gave the Tigers a two-point lead at 23-21, Pacific closed out the match with an second 25-22 victory. 

Long Beach State plays one more match on the road against No. 23 UC Irvine before returning to the Walter Pyramid on October 17, when the 49ers host Cal State Northridge. That match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

Reports From LBSU