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	Vol.7, No 17, September 28, 1999
	49ers open conference play with mixed results By Elyse Medlin Daily Forty-Niner   First, the bad news. For the first time in three years, the Long Beach State womenís volleyball team was swept in three games by No.1 ranked University of Pacific (15-7, 15-7, 16-14) on Saturday. WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL Coincidentally, the last time the 49ers lost a match in three games was against Pacific on Nov. 9, 1996. Saturday's loss also halted the teamís conference win streak of 37 consecutive Big West wins. Now, the good news.  The No. 5 ranked 49ers opened their conference season with a sweep over unranked Utah State Thursday night (15-10, 15-6, 15-9), extending their home win streak to 50 matches. LBSU is now 1-1 in conference play, 8-2 overall. The 49ers were not up to par Saturday afternoon. "There's no question that they [Pacific] played better," said LBSU Head Coach Brian Gimmillaro. "They deserved to win, they outplayed us." The 49ers averaged a season-low .145 hitting percentage, compared to the Tigers' .270 percent. Pacific also outdug (60-48) and outaced (8-5) LBSU. LBSU was allowed the first point of the match, but Pacific quickly recovered with a five-point run. The 49ers scored a few additional points, so the Tigers answered with an even bigger six-point run. A few additional points by senior outside hitter Anja Grabovac and sophomore middle blocker Cheryl Weaver were not enough as the Tigers won Game 1, 15-7. The score was the same for Game 2 (15-7), again in Pacificís favor. This time, the Tigers scored the first point, followed by six more.  Veronica Walls was responsible for a sideout that led to a 49er three-point run. Walls played all three games, despite recovering from a viral infection, which took her out of Thursdayís match. The 49ers gave Pacific a run for their money in Game 3, taking a lead for the first time of the match at 7-6, and again at 14-12. Four questionable calls in Pacificís favor gave the Tigers time to recover for the win (16-14). Gimmillaro said there should have been a reversed in one of the final plays when one of his players was called for interfering with the net. If the referees would have made a different call, the 49ers may have forced a fourth game. "We deserved to play in the fourth game," Gimmillaro said.  LBSU opened Big West Conference action on Thursday night with an unconvincing victory over Utah State.  Despite the win, the 49ers could have played better, Gimmillaro said. "We made mistakes, but at times we were on," Gimmillaro said. Utah State led Game 1 three times and kept the score tied several times before the 49ers broke away to score five consecutive points to win the game (15-10).  LBSU senior outside hitter Brandy Barratt had an impressive eight kills for Game 1. She finished with 15 for the match. In addition, Barratt tallied nine digs. Following the match, Barratt was named MVP of the match by the Long Beach Press Telegram, which sponsors the award.  Utah State started strong in Game 2, scoring the first two points. The 49ers then went on a 10-point run, allowing the Aggies a chance at a point only after a wide serve. Utah State scored three in a row, but it wasn't enough to catch up to LBSU (15-6). The 49ers pulled together for the beginning of Game 3, scoring eight unanswered points. However, they had difficulty closing out the game. Weaver served a successful match point, and the Aggies hit into the net for the return. Gimmillaro was impressed with the performance of his four youngest players: freshmen Elisha Thomas and Hochevar, and sophomores Tayyiba Haneef and Weaver. "I'm glad they're on our side," Gimmillaro said. "They're very young, hard-working, good athletes." Weaver totaled 14 kills for the match, hitting .367 percent. Weaver also had two serving aces for the match.  Haneef came through for the 49ers with a .444 hitting percentage.  LBSU will host No. 9 UC Santa Barbara on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in The Pyramid.		Jason Steinberg/ Daily Forty-Niner Middle blocker Cheryl Weaver, photo left, drills one past the Utah State front line in Thursday night's game at The Pyramid. Long Beach State won three straight games on the five game match.                                                                                                                                                                               New bill protects gays L.B. buses brought to life through poetry GOP aims to get women, minorities Area code change halted Growing women's center aching for volunteers Fear, hatred back Students, retailers need more spirit President takes stand on credit cards 'Romeo and Juliet' well worth one's time 'Three Kings' action packed Men drown opposition over weekend 49ers open conference play with mixed results Another disappointing weekend for soccer Fall 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE
Forty-Niner Publications, Department of Journalism, California State University, Long Beach ©1999 All rights reserved.