BYU ends six-game win streak for injured 49ers

By Lyndsey Shinoda
and Marten Lewerth
Daily Forty-Niner

Plagued by injuries and lineup changes, the Long Beach State women's volleyball team watched its six game winning streak end Saturday with a loss to Brigham Young University.

Without Tayyiba Haneef, Ashanti Taylor and Lindsay Phillips available to play, the 49ers and their coaching staff were forced to retool the lineup last week before the three-day stretch of matches against Temple, Oral Roberts and Brigham Young universities began.

"We're just trying to put together a line-up right now and not make too many changes," Head Coach Brian Gimmillaro said. "...So when we do get players back, it will be easier to put them back in."

The fifth win of the season was a hard-earned victory for the 49ers last Thursday, yet they rallied to dispose of the Temple University Owls (2-2) in four games, 8-15, 15-3, 15-8, 15-2.

Led by the powerful left hand of Alma Kovaci (16 kills) and the solid passing of setter Solana Lee (31 assists), Temple outplayed the 49ers in game one and silenced the 1,773 fans at The Pyramid.

"We just didn't compete very well," Gimmillaro said. "I thought after that we were in control."

LBSU rallied from the loss in the first game and won the next three games with little difficulty.

All-American middle blocker Cheryl Weaver led the 49ers with 17 kills and a hitting percentage of .448 on the night.

"Everything's kind of new with the line-up," Weaver said. "Everyone's getting adjusted and we just need to show more motion."

Sophomore Elisha Thomas also stepped up in the match, finishing with 12 kills and six blocks.

"Every day's an improvement," Thomas said. "I'm adjusting pretty well, we just need to jell as a team."

Outside hitter Sarah Connor contributed nine kills, while setter Hochevar had 41 assists.

On Friday the 49ers traveled to Provo, Utah for two matches in the Mizuno Classic, hosted by Brigham Young University.

The trip was a homecoming for Connor, a Utah native, who picked up a career-best 15 kills and hit for a team-best .483 attack percentage Friday evening as the 49ers defeated Oral Roberts University 15-9, 15-13, 15-5.

"It was a lot of fun playing in front of the home crowd," Connor said. "I wasn't really nervous at the beginning because I have played here so many times in club ball."

Seven of Connor's kills came in game two, which proved to be the most difficult for the 49ers.

"Several players stepped up for us," Gimmillaro said. "We're still nursing injuries and they are continuing to gain from the experience."

Reliable gunner Weaver had 11 kills on the evening, while middle blocker Thomas posted 12 kills on 20 attempts.

Setter Brittany Hochevar scored the first eight points on serve in game three, and finished the evening with two aces, seven blocks and 38 assists.

The win over Oral Roberts (1-6) improved the 49ers' record to 6-0 heading into a match against the No. 17 ranked BYU.

Long Beach's unbeaten streak ended Saturday as BYU came from behind to win 15-17, 12-15, 15-13, 15-1, 15-6.

After winning the first two games and leading 13-10 in the third, the 49ers lost momentum and BYU (6-1) rallied to win the game and match.

"We had the match at 13 with two chances to win," Gimmillaro said. "I thought we had it."

BYU outscored the 49ers 30-7 in the final two games, and LBSU managed only five kills and hit for an anemic -.063 hitting percentage.

Middle blocker Tayyiba Haneef, playing in her first match since the home opener against Saint Mary's, led the 49ers with 17 kills and 10 digs. Thomas posted 15 kills and a .480 attack percentage, while Chantae Weathers and Connor each had 11 kills.

Weaver (14 kills) and Hochevar (57 assists) were both named to the all-tournament team.