It’s just another weekend at home and another ranked team for the #3 Long Beach State men’s volleyball team (8-0, 6-0) to send home disappointed.  Friday in the ‘Myd, the Beach will host #15 UC San Diego in the Niners’ ninth straight contest against a ranked opponent.

The UCSD Tritons will carry an unimpressive 3-7 record into Long Beach, but they have knocked off a ranked opponent this year in #7 UC Irvine.  The Tritons are lead by sophomore outside hitter Jason Spangler who leads the team with 188 kills.  The Thousand Oaks native also leads the way with a .897 serve percentage, but offense is not the problem for UCSD.  The Tritons are being out-blocked 122 to 85 by their opponents, and that stat alone should have the Niners licking their chops.

Paul Lotman (who needs just 47 kills to become the 17th player in school history to have 1,000 kills), Dean Bittner (who racked up 13 kills, five digs and three blocks last week against USC), Dan Alexander (who had his first double-double, 11 kills and 10 blocks, against Pepperdine), and the other Long Beach hitters will look to continue their perfect season with authority against the porous Triton defense.

Long Beach leads the all-time series against the Tritons 45-4, and you can expect more of the same when you’re at the ‘Myd, Friday at 7pm.  The men will not return home until late this month, so make sure you get out there and witness the best team in Long Beach.