SAN DIEGO – Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) beat UC San Diego’s (UCSD) women’s volleyball team in four sets on Saturday evening, 25-19, 21-25, 25-23. Saturday was the Tritons’ second Big West matchup of the season after they beat Cal State Fullerton in their conference home opener. 

The 3-1 Long Beach victory marked their 10th straight win of the season as they currently sit atop the Big West standings. 

The Beach scored the first point of the game and set the tone for the match. The Tritons fought to tie it up at 12-12, but Long Beach went on a 6-point run to swing the momentum back in their favor. After leading by as many as seven points, Long Beach State secured a 25-19 first-set victory.

The Beach quickly gained a 6-point lead in set two, which led to UC San Diego head coach Spencer McLachlin calling a timeout. After the timeout, the Tritons found their rhythm as opposite hitter Molly McCluskey made plays on both ends of the floor, including four kills. UC San Diego won the second set 25-21.

The Tritons led by as many as five points in the third, but Long Beach tied it up at 16-16. The teams went back and forth for the rest of the set, but CSULB’s offense carried them to a 25-23 third-set win. 

Long Beach’s offense challenged UC San Diego in the fourth set. CSULB continued to lean on their hitters as they cruised to a fourth-set and match victory.

The Tritons had three hitters with double-digit kills. McCluskey and outside hitters Gia Rivera and Ireland McNees all 13 or more kills on Saturday evening. UC San Diego had more kills, 55, than Long Beach, 48, but came up short on blocks, 18-8.

UC San Diego will head to Riverside, Calif., for their next two games. They will take on California Baptist on Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. and UC Riverside on Oct. 3 at 4 p.m. The Tritons will return home on Oct. 9 to face Sacramento State at 6 p.m. Purchase tickets here. 

Top image photo credit: Soleil Dam/@mediabysoleil