Oct. 13, 2007

Box Score

DAVIS, Calif. - Junior setter Nicole Vargas won a joust with two Aggie blockers to lift Long Beach State to an 18-16 win in the fifth and decisive game of a marthon victory over UC Davis in a Big West Conference women's volleyball match at the Pavilion Saturday. The final game scores were 28-30, 30-22, 30-23, 23-30, 18-16 in favor of the 49ers.

The Aggies fall to 3-16 for the match and remain winless in Big West play at 0-8. This marks the second straight night UC Davis has lost a five-gamer, and the fourth overall instance during the season. Long Beach State, among the teams receiving votes in the CSTV/American Volleyball Coaches Association rankings, improve to 11-5 overall and 5-2 in conference.

Junior outside hitter Renee Ibekwe recorded a team-best 19 kills to go with four blocks. Erin Turner added 14 kills, three aces and shared a three-way team lead with five stuffs. In all, the Aggies posted 14.5 total blocks, with Tori Hooper and Kelly Patterson offering five assists.

Senior middle blocker Michaela Hasalikova and junior outside hitter Quincy Verdin each had 19 kills to lead the Beach offensively. Vargas finished the night at 9-1-20 with a team-best 20 digs, while freshman Ashley Lee chipped in 12 kills, 18 digs and four blocks.

Long Beach fought off two match points in the waning moments of Game 5. Ibekwe's tool put UC Davis up by a 14-13 advantage, but Lee countered with the side out kill. Ibekwe then took advantage of her team's cover against the 49er block, dropping a tip into the open court to put her team up 15-14. Lee again countered with a kill to tie the game at 15-15. Lee then teamed up with Michelle Osunbur for a block, putting the Beach in it first opportunity serve for the win. Ibekwe struck again, tying the score for the 11th time of Game 5.

Verdin knocked down a kill to put the 49ers up, 17-16, then Vargas scored the game-winner to hold off the Aggie upset.

The Aggie net defense had been particularly effective in the Game 1 victory, posting 6.5 stuffs against the 49ers hitters. Turner had three kills in the opener, scoring on a tip to set up a 29-28 game point. Sophomore Britt Erickson delivered the winner, marking the first time UC Davis had taken a game off Long Beach State in the two teams' brief series history.

The Beach offense found its stride in Game 2, pounding out 19 kills on 37 swings for a .486 hitting rate. Hasalikova had four kills and a pair of blocks, both of which came in a 4-0 49er start. UC Davis never approached within seven as the 49ers tied the match at one apiece.

Long Beach claimed Game 3, mostly on the strength of a strong finish. Senior Cynthia Buggs served up two aces and two free-ball opportunities for her hitters in a 6-0 run that gave the 49ers a 28-21 footing en route to the win. However, UC Davis posted a strong finish of its own in Game 4, first securing a 6-1 run to push ahead by an 18-11 margin, then scoring four straight to pull ahead, 26-11.

Both teams played out of system during the early going of Game 5, then settled down to a see-saw battle that culminated with Lee's and Ibekwe's fireworks and Vargas' match-winner.

LBSU had won all five previous matchups with UC Davis in 3-0 sweeps.

The Aggies face Sacramento State in a non-conference battle on Wednesday, then return to Big West action on Friday at home against Cal State Fullerton.