CSULB volleyball hosts ranked team from islands

The biggest matches of the season for the Cal State Long Beach women's volleyball team will take place tonight and Wednesday when the 49ers host Hawaii at The Gold Mine.

The 49ers are ranked eighth in the nation and boast a record of 17-3, 12-1 in the Big West Conference. The Wahine, ranked fifth in the nation, are 20-2 overall and 13-1 in the conference.

CSULB defeated Hawaii last year on the islands and have won the last 10 matches of the series.

"Hawaii is a very good ballclub, " said coach Brian Gimmillaro. "It's going to be difficult because we've beaten them so many times. All of these players are tired of losing and they want to beat us."

Gimmillaro added that Hawaii always talks about the 49ers and this is the biggest match of the season for the Wahine every year.

The matches will showcase the top four hitters in the conference. Hawaii's Angelica Ljungquist and Sarah Chase lead in hitting percentage followed by CSULB's senior tandom of Nichelle Burton and Traci Dahl.

"We are ready to go," Dahl said.

The 49ers will also try to extend their home winning streak among conference opponents. CSULB has won 24 straight Big West matches in The Gold Mine since it lost to University of the Pacific on Oct. 5, 1991.