To ensure that all the pistons in the nation's top-ranked team were firing before the NCAA Tournament, 49er Head Coach Brain Gimmillaro purposely scheduled back-to-back matches before next weekend's opening round.
It's safe to say they're firing.
After a 15-5, 15-4, 15-5 trouncing of Louisville Friday night, the Long Beach State women's volleyball team finished the job on senior night Saturday with a 15-3, 15-13, 15-5 win over Notre Dame before 1,394 at The Pyramid.
The match capped a season that saw the 49ers (30-1) finish winning 28 games and 21 matches without a loss.
LBSU also finished the regular season winning an astounding 47 of its last 48 games, lose just seven total, and crack into the top spot in the nation.
"I don't know how often our university has had a No. 1 team," 49er Head Coach Brian Gimmillaro said. "We've never been No. 1 at the end of the year. ItŐs a very different feeling.
"The team was very disciplined," Gimmillaro said. "[At stake] was to hold the No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. We needed to let the tournament committee know we deserved it. It was a big weekend for us."
ŇItŐs always good to have the competition," setter Misty May said of the two extra matches before the tournament. "It's really easy to fall off the competitive stage. But I think we'll keep our No. 1 seeding."
It was the final home game for 49er seniors Dana Builtman, Stephanie Streeks, Jenn Snyder and Nique Crump.
For Builtman, a fifth-year senior who transferred from the University of Virginia last season, it was an especially special night as she sang the national anthem before the match.
After a shaky second game, the 49ers came back to whip the Fighting Irish (23-8) after jumping to a 9-0 lead in the final game.
Saturday's match began on an awkward note for LBSU, though, which lost the opening point on an ace by Notre Dame's Angie Harris.
Upon the serve, the 49ers simply stood and watched the ball land amongst them.
After a quick sideout, the 49ers got the point back with an ace by May.
LBSU went from there to easily win the game.
The 49ers ran into trouble early in the second game, falling behind, 5-1.
They then clawed back to even the score at 7-7, on a kill by Veronica Walls.
Quickly falling behind again, 9-7, the 49ers tied the game again at 10-10, and then took a 13-10 lead after May's second ace of the night.
"Our team has a tendency to sometimes lose focus," said May, who had 43 assists. "I think we were too worried about what we were doing instead of what they were doing."
With the game tied 13-13, Gimmillaro ran out of substitutions and had to go with Crump on the back row.
Crump, who usually exits the game in favor of Streeks come time to serve, answered the call, serving up the final two points for LBSU.
"It is good we had Nique out there at the end," Gimmillaro said. "It's good for experience with Jessica [Alvarado] out."
The 49ers hope Alvarado, who has been sidelined for the last three weeks with a broken bone in her left hand, will be able to return to the lineup in time for one of the regional matches in the NCAA Tournament.