By Despite an underwhelming season, fans of the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team showed up in full force to the annual matchup against Hawai’i. The rivalry game brought out some competition that has been missing from the home team.
LBSU (5-15, 2-5 Big West) finished the fourth week of conference play with a loss to long-time rival Hawai’i (12-6, 6-1 Big West). In the series’ storied history, this was the first time since 1985 that former head coach Brian Gimmillaro and former Hawai’i head coach Dave Shoji were not facing each other.
The Walter Pyramid was packed with various members of different LBSU athletic teams, season ticket holders and fans from both sides. The game had a feel to it like no other, almost as if the whole season hadn’t mattered up until now.
For starters, LBSU head coach Joy Mckienzie-Fuerbringer made an adjustment in the lineup by positioning junior libero Hailey Harward as an outside hitter, and placing senior defensive specialist Rachel Nieto in the libero position.
“I’ve hit for my entire life so I felt very comfortable playing outside,” Harward said. “It felt good to able to contribute a lot more than usual.”
The contribution by Harward not only came through her offense, but also leadership, pouring emotion onto the court and establishing the tone for the rest of the match.
“There was an energy from the crowd that gave us the fire to compete,” Harward said. “It was really fun out there and the whole team felt positive.”
It was a different story for LBSU as they started the match off strong, unlike previous games. The 49ers came out vigorously on defense, denying Hawai’i from hitting a positive percentage. They communicated effectively on the floor, leading them to a 25-16 victory. The team ended the set with a .226 hitting percentage, while leaving Hawai’i at -.026.
Hawai’i fans in the crowd were stunned and in disbelief after LBSU easily took the first set. The 49ers set the pace of the match, but they could not hold on. The tides turned in the next three sets, and Hawai’i looked like its normal self again.
“It was disappointing to see the girls lose the energy they had in the first set,” Mckienzie-Fuerbringer said. “We continued to compete, but it was hard for them to stay locked in all the way.”
Even though Hawai’i performed dominantly, the 49ers found a way to keep the match close, suffering with low hitting percentages holding them back from taking sets. Hawai’i was not aggressive on defense, but the team could not take advantage. LBSU could not find a rhythm offensively, and its lack of hitting was detrimental.
“We couldn’t find a way to put ourselves in a position to attack,” Harward said. “As soon as we got the opportunity to attack we couldn’t take advantage of it.”
Hawai’i took three sets in a row, resulting in a 16-25, 25-16, 25-20 and 25-22 for LBSU in the loss.
Harward had a double-double with 12 kills and 16 digs in her first night as an outside hitter for the team. Nieto felt comfortable in her new position due to her experience as a defensive player, and turned in a career-night with 18 digs. Junior Emma Kirst had a solid performance with a season-high eight blocks for the team.
LBSU continues conference play with a three-game road trip this week. The 49ers take on Cal State Fullerton at 7 p.m. tomorrow, and follow it up with matches against UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly on Friday and Saturday.
