We had been looking forward to this game all week. The LBPOSTSports.com crew has adjusted, over the last three weeks, to the insanity of our weekend schedule while we cover Moore League football on Friday nights. Usually we start work on noon Friday, and finish the Moore League articles and videos around six or seven on Saturday morning. Then we grab a few hours of sleep, and scatter again to get to Saturday’s games. But this weekend, we decided everyone would go to the Long Beach State Women’s Volleyball game on Saturday evening—after all, it was their first game in the ‘Myd since August. Since they beat Saturday’s opponent in straight sets on Friday night, we all assumed the 49ers would handle them again, and we could relax for a few hours and just enjoy a game.
But the Santa Clara Broncos thought different. After their drumming on Friday, they apparently got together and decided they didn’t want to repeat the performance, coming out to win in three games 25-18, 25-23, 25-13. At first it seemed like we had the right idea—the 49ers jumped out to a 5-0, and then a 9-4 lead in the first set, and were playing dominant ball. Then I went to the bathroom, and when I came back, it was 11-11, and everybody was looking a little nervous.
Throughout the dominant performance, we had plenty of time to discuss reasons for why the Broncos were beating the No. 22-ranked 49ers, and in such convincing fashion, twenty four hours after Long Beach State had won so easily. There was the easy answer: that it was all the 49ers fault, that they’d overlooked their rematch with the Broncos because the first game had gone so easily. But they’d played with great intensity at the start of the night, and they certainly had plenty of time to let Coach Gimmillaro light their fuse if it was just a matter of desire. It could have been residual jet lag catching up, from their swings across the country to play in Florida and Massachusetts tournaments, but they got back in town close to a week ago, and while they played well on the east coast, they weren’t good enough to justify partying for six days straight.
With overconfidence and fatigue out as primary culprits, there was only one option left: Santa Clara was good. And they beat us. But, having seen the game, that’s what happened. Led by Anna Cmaylo, or “That Number Fifteen” as she was breathlessly referred to by fans in the stands, the Broncos out-hit, out-blocked, and outplayed Long Beach. Cmaylo was the clear emotional leader of her team, and I’m guessing the player who was most vocal in between Friday and Saturday. She was also a dominant player, notching 12 kills and 10 blocks on Saturday. Nearly all of the blocks came at crucial moments, and even on plays she didn’t get off the floor, her presence was felt, driving the 49ers to hit away from her. Lindsy Davigeadono also played well on the front line for Santa Clara, adding six blocks.
The Broncos held the 49ers to .038 hitting, their worst mark of the year, and there were very few redeeming points for Long Beach. Standouts Quincy Verdin and Caitlin Ledoux were held to -.154 and .083 hitting, respectively. The only Niner who looked good was Brittney Herzog, who stayed positive on the floor and finished at .222, and four kills.
With the loss, the 49ers fall to 10-2, and they’ll be leaving Long Beach again next week to travel to Pacific, to open league play against them on Friday; they’ll take on UC Davis the next day. Beyond the above theories, we’re at a loss to explain what happened Saturday night; Coach Gimmillaro and his players will have a few days and what I’m guessing will seem like a very long plane trip to figure it out. After that, they’ll try to turn night back into day.
