LBSU
game rolls high heading to CSUN, UOP
By Karl Peterson
On-line Forty-Niner
 The
Long Beach State women’s volleyball team
looks to build on its momentum from last
weekend’s wins, with road matches against
Cal State Northridge and the University
of the Pacific.
The Beach will play at CSUN (11-10, 5-7)
tonight at 7 p.m. and at Pacific (14-8,
9-3) on Saturday at 7 p.m.
As the season winds down, the main goal
for the 49ers is preparing to win a national
championship.
Head Coach Brian Gimmillaro sees tough road
games like Pacific and Northridge as great
preparation.
“Somewhere along the line in the NCAA playoffs,
if we are lucky enough to win enough to
get on the road, then we are going to have
to beat someone in their home crowd on their
home court,” Gimmillaro said. “These [matches]
are steps along the way and let’s see how
we do.”
The Matadors have not fared well against
the 49ers, winning only 14 of 46 meetings
since 1964.
This Matador team, however, is looking to
establish its self as one of the better
teams in the Big West, and should play well
at home against The Beach.
CSUN is 8-1 at home this year and is coming
off of a big win versus a very good Fresno
State team last weekend.
The 49ers beat the Matadors, 3-1, at The
Pyramid on Oct. 12. That match was a moral
victory, at least, for CSUN considering
the team has not won a single game against
LBSU since 1982.
The Beach (20-3, 9-3), currently tied with
Pacific for third in the Big West Conference,
could move into sole possession of second
in the conference with a victory over the
Tigers.
Pacific is a rare school that actually holds
a series advantage against the 49ers, winning
23 of 44 matches against The Beach.
But the 49ers have won three straight against
the Tigers including a 3-1 victory on Oct.
11 at home.
The Beach will have to contend with Pacific’s
junior Jennifer Joines who posted her 1,400th
career kill last weekend en route to being
named Big West Player of the Week of Oct.
28.
Tracy Bulquerin and Sara Kroneberger are
both nursing knee injuries and depending
on their performance in practice this week,
both could play in this weekend’s matches,
Gimmillaro said.
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