Post by bigfan on Sept 29, 2006 12:54:56 GMT -5
49ers look for golden start to Big West play
Long Beach plays host to UCSB tonight.
By Frank Burlison, Staff writer
LONG BEACH - The Long Beach State volleyball team, while assembling a 9-3 record in nonconference matches, has had some impressive victories and some ugly losses.
A sweep of nationally ranked Missouri to start the season sits atop the first list.
And it's not difficult to guess where a 3-0 loss at Sacramento State last week sits.
But that was then and this weekend is now, as in the start of the 49ers' Big West Conference season.
The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, who shared the Big West title with Long Beach last season because the 49ers' were able to snap a seven-match losing streak to them, are first up in the Walter Pyramid tonight at 7:30.
Saturday night at 7 the opposition will be the Cal Poly Mustangs, who seem to have evolved into the "team to beat" for the conference title after some impressive nonconference victories and a conference-opening win at UCSB last Saturday.
The Gauchos, who beat No. 8-ranked Wisconsin recently, improved to 7-6 overall with a five-game victory over Loyola Marymount on Tuesday.
The No. 20-ranked Mustangs, who play at UC Irvine tonight, are 9-4 with their losses coming only to nationally ranked (Pepperdine, Minnesota, Nebraska and Hawaii) teams.
"This is a big weekend for us," LBSU Coach Brian Gimmillaro said. "Both teams are very good. And Santa Barbara has a lot of experience and is very skilled."
NINER NOTES: The new version of the Long Beach mascot "Prospector Pete" will be unveiled at the match tonight. And the first 1,500 who come into the Walter Pyramid will receive Prospector Pete bobblehead dolls.
Long Beach plays host to UCSB tonight.
By Frank Burlison, Staff writer
LONG BEACH - The Long Beach State volleyball team, while assembling a 9-3 record in nonconference matches, has had some impressive victories and some ugly losses.
A sweep of nationally ranked Missouri to start the season sits atop the first list.
And it's not difficult to guess where a 3-0 loss at Sacramento State last week sits.
But that was then and this weekend is now, as in the start of the 49ers' Big West Conference season.
The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, who shared the Big West title with Long Beach last season because the 49ers' were able to snap a seven-match losing streak to them, are first up in the Walter Pyramid tonight at 7:30.
Saturday night at 7 the opposition will be the Cal Poly Mustangs, who seem to have evolved into the "team to beat" for the conference title after some impressive nonconference victories and a conference-opening win at UCSB last Saturday.
The Gauchos, who beat No. 8-ranked Wisconsin recently, improved to 7-6 overall with a five-game victory over Loyola Marymount on Tuesday.
The No. 20-ranked Mustangs, who play at UC Irvine tonight, are 9-4 with their losses coming only to nationally ranked (Pepperdine, Minnesota, Nebraska and Hawaii) teams.
"This is a big weekend for us," LBSU Coach Brian Gimmillaro said. "Both teams are very good. And Santa Barbara has a lot of experience and is very skilled."
NINER NOTES: The new version of the Long Beach mascot "Prospector Pete" will be unveiled at the match tonight. And the first 1,500 who come into the Walter Pyramid will receive Prospector Pete bobblehead dolls.