They have stood up to the challenge. What more must be done?
A 12-5 record highlighted with one win over a ranked team (No. 20-ranked Ohio) and all losses at the hands of ranked teams (No. 24 Cal Poly, No. 22 St. John’s, No. 16 San Diego, No. 5 Washington and No. 3 Stanford).
If anyone from the American Volleyball Coaches Association took notice of this past weekend, they would open their eyes and realize real perseverance when they see it. The Long Beach State women’s volleyball team – with and without standout middle blocker Alexis Crimes – returned from Northern California with a winning streak intact, but no top-25 ranking to show for it.
LBSU had to survive a brutal 2-0 deficit at Pacific, coupled with Crimes’ nerve-racking ankle injury that limited her mobility throughout the match. However, junior outside hitter Quincy Verdin’s play helped pick up a team that was seemingly on the verge of its second conference loss. Her outstanding performance (career-high 21 kills, 10 digs) took the Tigers’ breath away, and the 49ers got their backs off the wall once more with a dramatic 5-game comeback victory.
The AVCA and the rest of the Big West Conference should know this team did what No. 24-ranked Cal Poly and three other teams could not do: win on Pacific’s home court. To add to the resume, the 49ers (without Crimes and, for most of the match, sophomore outside hitter Naomi Washington, also out with an ankle injury) held off a furious rally at UC Davis to win its season-high sixth straight game.
Sure, Davis is no premier team in the conference, but everyone must consider the impact of losing specific talents on a team. While the AVCA certainly knows what Crimes can do on the court, others stand out as well.
Washington, who is fifth on the team with 81 kills, has been solid throughout her early career at LBSU. She fought through injuries last year to record 124 kills in 54 games as a freshman. While Verdin stepped up as Crimes went down at Pacific, Washington followed as well, adding 16 kills and five digs.
Bruised and weary, LBSU proved that no court will deny the black and gold of a victory. The AVCA, however, does not see victory from this team. It only sees more votes that have kept the team on the sideline and on the outskirts of national credibility. Instead, No. 25-ranked Louisiana State, a 15-4 team that played only one ranked team this season, is sitting pretty because it played No. 10-ranked Florida.’LSU, by the way, lost to Florida in four games.
Despite the near comparison in initials, the two teams definitely differ in the strength of schedule. The 49ers will meet that same Florida team in their season finale on Nov. 24. Think about this: LSU was ranked 18th before losing its fourth game. It looks as if the AVCA finds strength of schedule to be a bit too weak for the polls.
Besides, Louisville, who is 2-3 against ranked teams this season, deserves an opportunity just as much as LBSU. The Cardinals are evidently in a better position to be ranked than the 49ers, but that does not allow a team like Middle Tennessee (don’t let the 21-2 record fool you) get ahead of LBSU. The Blue Raiders, with 81 poll points compared to LBSU’s 37, do have an impressive record for the season.
Let me sum up Middle Tennessee’s major wins this season – a 3-0 win over Oklahoma (30-19, 42-40, 30-22). Such a win does not give the Blue Raiders a reason to be placed above the battle-tested 49ers, especially when the Denver Pioneers – a team LBSU swept in three games in September – are considered a Sun Belt Conference favorite.
Sac State, another team ahead of LBSU in voting, has a 20-3 record, but the Hornets don’t sting very hard. One win over Cal Poly in a San Francisco tournament keeps them ahead of the 49ers, but no other wins have been over ranked teams. Pepperdine, which has two poll points more than LBSU, has also faced just one ranked opponent, falling 3-0 to No. 16 San Diego.
I guess that winning means everything, and the better records prevail. LBSU has a better record than Cal Poly, but has to contend with the annoyance of that loss on Sept. 21 at San Luis Obispo. The AVCA’s 49er-hating will soon come to pass when LBSU hosts Cal Poly on Saturday. Only then will the coaches and critics know where LBSU stands, and where Cal Poly falls.
