Volleyball
hurting, still wins matches matches
Matt
Brown/ Sports Information
Volleyball:
Nagging injuries do not stop 49ers from
winning both of last weekend's matches.
By
Trent Loomis
On-line Forty-Niner
The
women's volleyball team limped into Utah
and Idaho last week and flew home with six
straight set wins and a share of first place
in the Big West.
Not
much changed for the 49ers Saturday when
they beat the Vandals of Idaho, 3-0 (30-26,
30-27, 30-25) in Big West Conference play
in Moscow, Idaho.
Long
Beach improved to 10-3 (5-1 Big West) behind
Erika Chidester whose 13 kills led the way
for the resilient 49ers who now share the
lead atop the Big West Conference with next
week's opponent, Irvine.
Idaho
who dropped to 7-6 (1-4 Big West) didn't
pose much of a threat by committing 24 attack
errors and a combined 20 serve and receive
errors.
Once
again the hobbled 49ers were able to overcome
the teams injuries to beat a conference
team they should have with good team balance.
American
Volleyball Coaches Association National
player of the week, one of the highest awards
bestowed upon volleyball players, Jillian
Mazzarella continued her stellar play by
recording her ninth double-double of the
season with 32 assists and 13 digs. Teammates
Robin Miramontes and Liz Hudson had nine
and eight kills respectively.
Despite
a .183 attack percentage, Long Beach State
out-dug the Vandals 62-50 highlighted by
Hudson's and Sara Kroneberger's 12 digs
apiece.
Although
these aren't the toughest of games, they
are just what the doctor ordered for a team
trying to find some consistency with a roster
full of injuries.
Injuries
to several key players didn't stop the 49ers
from beating the Utah State Aggies Thursday
3-0 (30-28, 30-26, 30-19) at the Smith Spectrum
in Logan.
The
49ers were led by Chidester who had a match-high
17 kills and 10 digs to bring her season
total to five double-doubles.
Mazzarella
chipped in with 44 assists and 12 digs while
freshman middle blocker Natalie Uhart logged
in nine kills at a .643 attack percentage.
A
great performance considering Chidester
has been playing with a sprained ankle and
bum shoulder which limits her to games only,
while freshman Mariko Crum (foot) and Miramontes
(knee) have been riddled with injuries yet
yielded results.
It's
scary what this team would be capable of
if everyone was healthy and head coach Brian
Gimmillaro said that although it might not
happen this year, the team is getting better.
"We're
getting better," Gimmillaro said. "We
are just trying to get some continuity with
all the injuries and get into a rhythm."
Long
Beach dominated the match from the get-go
building as much as a 12 point lead in the
third set against the Aggies, against whom
the 49ers have won 25 consecutive matches.
The Aggies (9-6, 2-3) dropped to sixth place
in the conference.
"Our
improvement has to accelerate in order to
be where we want to be," Gimmillaro
said.
However
there is no rest for the weary, or injured
because the 49ers play host to Irvine this
Saturday at The Pyramid which will be a
battle between two teams tied for first
place.
Standings
don't matter much to Gimmillaro who believes
that the 49ers control their own fate.
"If
we execute well, then I'm not concerned
about who we face" Gimmillaro said
"Irvine is a good team, and it should
be an exciting match, but I think if we
play our game, we won't have a problem."
"We're
getting better. We are just trying to get
some continuity with all the injuries and
get into a rhythm."
-- Brian Gimmillaro,
head coach
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