California State University at Northridge
3-14,1-5Big West
Long Beach State
10-6,4-2Big West
Matadors Knock Off Long Beach State in Five-Set Thriller
10/7/2023 8:07:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Junior Perri Starkey posted her third double-double of the season as the Matadors knocked off Long Beach State in five sets Saturday afternoon in a Big West match at Premier America Credit Union Arena.
CSUN picked up its first Big West win of the season as Starkey was one of four Matador hitters with eight or more kills. The Matadors also won for the first time in nine five-set decisions this season. Starkey led CSUN with 12 kills and 10 digs while Carisa Barron and Tatiana Turgeon each added nine kills while each hit .286. Taylor Hunter chipped in eight kills (.217) and a pair of blocks.
CSUN was out-hit by the Beach while the visitors also posted statistical advantages in kills (58-42), assists (54-41), aces (12-8), digs (52-40), and blocks (14.0-9.0).
SET 1: LBSU 25, CSUN 16
Long Beach State claimed 10 of the opening 14 points of the match and would lead throughout. The Beach would eventually open up a 10-point lead (21-11) before going on to close out a 25-16 win.
SET 2: CSUN 25, LBSU 21
The Matadors bounced back to open the second set on a 7-4 run. The Beach used a 4-1 run following a timeout to even the score at 8-8. CSUN would answer with a 7-0 run to open up a 15-8 advantage and the Matadors would hold off a late charge by the visitors to take a 25-21 win.
SET TWO ?
— CSUN Women's Volleyball (@CSUNWVB) October 8, 2023
CSUN gets even with a 25-21 margin.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/zJu9zq4BXv
SET 3: CSUN 25, LBSU 23
The Matadors held a slim 15-14 advantage heading into a the media timeout before pushing the lead to four (19-15) following a Long Beach hitting error. LBSU would use a 3-0 run to rally within one but CSUN would score five straight to take a 24-19 lead. The Beach answered with 4-0 run, saving four set points but the Matadors got a Barron kill to seal the 25-23 win.
SET THREE WIN!
— CSUN Women's Volleyball (@CSUNWVB) October 8, 2023
Barron notches her 7th kill to put CSUN up 2-1.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/8cqmSQVljl
SET 4: LBSU 25, CSUN 9
LBSU owned the fourth set as the Beach hit .500 (13-3-20), while forcing the Matadors into a negative attack percentage (-.190). Long Beach State used a 7-0 run to open up an 11-3 cushion and CSUN never recovered. The Beach extended their lead to double digits (16-6) and would force a fifth set after a dominating 25-9 win.
SET 5: CSUN 15, LBSU 11
The two teams traded sideouts in the early going as Long Beach State held an 8-7 advantage at the changeover. A Hunter kill then fueled a a 5-0 Matador run that put CSUN back in front 12-8. The Beach got a kill on the ensuing point before a Long Beach service error and a co-block by Miller and Turgeon set the Matadors up with match point at 14-9. The Beach would save two match points before Starkey connected for a kill sending CSUN to the 15-11 win.
ACCORDING TO COACH JOHN PRICE
"I think we've been close all year and the thing that's been the most frustrating has been our decision-making. We've played hard all season but we haven't always played smart. We have to be better competitors and to do that we have to make better decisions and I thought we did that tonight. Long Beach is a good team and we served well and attacked well enough to finally win a five-set match."
NOTES
- Kaia Kanan had 13 assists to combine with Barron for 31 assists. Kanan also had a career-high two aces.
- Freshman Paige Sentes had three of CSUN's eight aces along with seven digs and four assists. Layla Cederlind added the other two aces for the Matadors.
- Tatiana Turgeon led the Matadors with six blocks while Leah Miller added five.
- With the win, CSUN snaps a nine-match losing streak to Long Beach State.
UP NEXT
CSUN heads out on the road for its next two matches, traveling to UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton for a pair of Big West matches next week. Both matches will stream on ESPN+.
#GoMatadors
