LBSU sweeps UC Davis

[robertmotley]

LBSU sweeps UC Davis

[robertmotley]

LBSU Defeats UC Davis in Three
Crimes Leads the Way with 12 Kills

October 9, 2004

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL 1 2 3 4 5 RECORDS
UC Davis 11 21 21 1-13
No. 23 Long Beach State 30 30 30 13-2
UC Davis Kill Leader: Read (7)
LBSU Kill Leader: Crimes (12)

Box Score



LONG BEACH, CA – The No. 23-ranked Long Beach State women’s volleyball team defeated the UC Davis Aggies, 3-0, in The Pyramid Saturday night. The match was a non-conference affair. Game scores were 30-11, 30-21, 30-21.

Long Beach State improved to 13-2, while UC Davis dropped to 1-14.

Alexis Crimes led Long Beach State with a match-high 12 kills, while teammate Jillian Mazzarella posted a double-double with 31 assists and 10 kills. Heather Hetzer and Natalie Uhart both chipped in with seven kills each as well. As a team, Long Beach State recorded 47 kills for a .365 attack percentage. UC Davis hit below .100 (-.038) for the match (28-32-106). Nicole Read netted seven kills for UC Davis in the losing effort.

LBSU cruised to a 30-11 game one victory, behind five kills from Crimes. In fact, as a team, Long Beach State registered a .393 attack percentage (14-3-28). The 49ers out-blocked the Aggies, 5-0, and limited UC Davis to a -.267 attack percentage (5-13-30). Long Beach State opened the game on a 6-0 run, highlighted by a Sara Kroneberger service ace. The 49ers built a 21-7 lead after an Aggie attack error. Long Beach State closed out UC Davis on a 10-4 run.

Long Beach State built a 2-0 match lead after a 30-21 game two victory. LBSU received a balanced attack from Mazzarella (three kills), Robin Miramontes (three kills), and Hetzer (three kills). The 49ers recorded a .345 hitting percentage (14-4-29) in the set. Long Beach State rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the early stages of game two, with a 9-6 run to tie the score at 10-10. The 49ers proceeded to go on a 6-1 run, highlighted by a UC Davis attack error. LBSU closed out UC Davis on a Crimes and Mazzarella block.

The 49ers ended the match in three games, after a 30-21 victory.

The 49ers resume conference play on the road at Cal Poly on Friday, Oct. 15, and at UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, Oct. 16. Both matches are at 7:00 p.m.



10 kills for Mazzarella!

[robertmotley]

49ers beat Aggies one-two-three

By Frank Burlison
Staff writer

There didn't figure to be much suspense surrounding the outcome of the Long Beach State women's volleyball match with a group of overmatched Aggies from UC Davis Saturday night in the Pyramid.
And that was the case as the 49ers handed the visitors their 14th loss in 15 matches, three games to zilch (30-11, 30-21 and 30-21) in front of 1,481.

But, in regards to his 20th Long Beach team, 49ers coach Brian Gimmillaro is constantly dealing with moments of trepidation.

That's because he's never quite sure who will be healthy enough to go on the floor in practice or during a match.

With sophomore Mariko Crum (sore back) and freshman Kristen Voyson (severe headaches) joining Erika Chidester and Rosie Lewis on the unable-to-play roster Saturday, Gimmillaro was again left to juggle his lineup.

Redshirt freshman Makini Thompson, who underwent surgery on her left knee last December and is usually day to day for practice ("I can probably count on one hand the number of full practices I've had here," she said), started in place of Voyson.

And Uhart, whose left knee was operated upon after her freshman season, replaced Crum in the rotation.

It's not the kind of mixing-and-matching Gimmillaro anticipates having to ever do this deep into a season.

"We're about where I thought we would be at this point in the season, record-wise although I thought we'd one win better," he said, after his team, 5-2 in conference following its Big West loss at UC Irvine Thursday night, improved its overall record to 13-2.

"But we're not where I thought we'd be, team-(in regards to health) wise. It's been very difficult."

Freshman Alexis Crimes had 12 kills, six block assists and her first assist ("Alexis got her first assist!" Gimmillaro exclaimed with a rare in-match smile after the 6-foot-3 middle blocker set up defensive specialist Sara Kroneberger for her only kill of the evening during Game 2), while senior setter Jillian Mazzarella had 31 assists, 10 kills and seven digs.

Uhart (who, playing in only her third match of the season, had seven kills and four block assists) and Thompson (four kills and two block assists) were smiling after their most extensive action of the season.

"It's difficult, because I'm still cautious when I jump off of the leg," Uhart said.

"And it's tough because every day we never know who can go in practice."

The 49ers head north for a couple of Big West matches this weekend when they face Cal Poly San