On Saturday night against an overmatched Northeastern Huskies team, the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team did their best impression of a buzzsaw, sweeping the Huskies 25-12, 25-12, 25-14.  The ‘Niners (3-2) made quick work of the Huskies, dispatching them in just over an hour.  The sweep victory completes a very successful weekend for the home team, as they swept all three of their opponents.

Head coach Brian Gimmillaro says he maintains consistent expectations no matter who his team is facing, and he seemed pleased with the progression in his team’s focus and execution.  “More people are contributing more—and I like it when we get ahead and don’t give up a lot of points at the end of the set,” he said after the match on Saturday.

More people certainly are contributing more—the ‘Niners hit .386 as a team, and four players (Caitlin Ledoux, Michelle Osunbor, Jocelyn Neely, and Brittney Herzog) hit .333 or over.  Herzog led the team with 13.5 points, backed up by Osunbor at 11.5 and Naomi Washington with 11.  But the production defensively is more staggering—the Huskers’ team hitting percentage was .000.  They notched no aces, and only four team blocks.

Gimmillaro has been wincing about his team’s lack of depth all season, but it was obvious that Long Beach was the better conditioned team.  Both Long Beach and Northeastern were playing in their third match over 36 hours or so, and while Long Beach’s big arms continued to pound away, the Huskers looked plain tired.  Their swings lacked power, and Long Beach recorded nine team blocks, with Osunbor and Herzog walling up the middle (they each had four blocks).

“I knew we’d come out strong,” Herzog said.  “Our captains [Ashley Lee and Naomi Washington] kept telling us, ‘Prepare like it’s Texas.’  I think we all contributed more—coach told us after the sweep of UMBC, ‘Naomi brought her A-game—now it’s time to back her up.'”

Washington will have to pack up that A-game and take it home next Friday, as the 49ers travel to her home state of Louisiana for the Tulane Sugerbowl Classic, where Long beach will face stiff foes in New Orleans, LSU, and Tulane next Friday and Saturday.