There were plenty of distractions to be had with the return of LBSU’s last Women’s Volleyball national title team and a certain beach-volleyball icon. Were LBSU not coached by Brian Gimmillaro, perhaps the distractions would’ve been overwhelming.

“We had jobs to do, we focused on doing our jobs,” said Gimmillaro.

If I could only make my work look so easy: the 49ers rolled to a three sets to one victory over UC Davis and it was never close. In a rare breach of journalistic code, let me say that UC Davis played handball against LBSU’s sharpened version of volleyball. 

Quincy Verdin was always supposed to be this year’s star. But the senior outside hitter started the year reluctantly, it would seem; the 49ers were relying heavily on true freshman Caitlin Ledoux for their offense.

“At the beginning of the year, I was a little a bit shaky, up and down like a roller-coaster,” said Verdin post-game. “But now, I think I’ve hit a point where I’m consistent and going in a good direction.”

Verdin led the 49ers with 13 kills, hitting at 50 percent. She’s also leading the team in kills for the year. Verdin seems to be taking command of her role as a leader alongside senior setter Nicole Vargas and middle blocker Naomi Washington. With talent in the lower classes and emerging leadership from the seniors, this team will go far should they stay the course.

But Friday evening was about remembering the past. The dominant performance from the ’08 edition accompanied the return of the 1998 national title team–including Olympians Tayyiba Haneef-Park and Misty May-Treanor–that went undefeated at 36-0, the first undefeated women’s volleyball season in NCAA history.

“This is something that is uniquely ours, the first undefeated women’s volleyball national title,” said Gimmillaro. “We have to be proud of that.”

Between the second and third set, the ’98 squad lined up on the back line to be introduced for their accomplishments. Screams from several local girls volleyball teams were deafening, especially when the public address reached announced Misty May-Treanor.

“That’s why everybody loves coming to Long Beach State,” said May-Treanor regarding the warm reception at the Walter Pyramid. “For as big as Long Beach is, the community is so supportive and so small, and everybody cares about what’s going on in their city.”

May-Treanor was hobbled with an Achilles injury from her stint on “Dancing With The Stars,” and had to scooter her way around the ‘Myd while crowds of children followed her for a picture. Long Beach knows a hero when they see one.

This year’s volleyball team will not go undefeated, but there is still great optimism as they seem to be clicking more and more with each passing game. With one national title team in attendance, it was hard not to compare the two.

“It’s a chemistry thing” said May-Treanor on the ’08 team. “They have all the abilities to win a national championship, but it just matters how they use it together.”