LBSU senior middle blocker Rhiann Sheffie celebrates The Beach’s victory during the final set. LBSU defeated Hawai’i 3-0 on Friday, Oct. 17 at the Walter Pyramid. Rehansa Kulatilleke | Long Beach Current

Long Beach State (14-5) overpowered the University of Hawai’i (6-12) in a sweep on Friday, Oct. 17 in front of over 2,500 fans at the Walter Pyramid and a national audience on ESPNU. 

The Rainbow Wahine, who lead the Big West conference in service aces, welcomed themselves into the Pyramid with an ace from sophomore libero Victoria Leyva to begin the final LBSU home conference game between the two longstanding rivals,  as Hawai’i is set to leave the Big West following this season. 

LBSU junior defensive specialist Laurel Barsocchini celebrates a winning point during The Beach’s sweep of the Rainbow Wahine on Friday, Oct. 17 at the Walter Pyramid. Rehansa Kulatilleke | Long Beach Current

LBSU freshman middle blocker Sidney Hamaker had three of her four first set kills to respond early, giving The Beach a 4-2 lead that they never returned back to the Wahine. 

LBSU dominated Hawai’i in every aspect, going on a 9-0 run led by kills from redshirt freshman opposite and four-time Big West Freshman of the Week LBSU Logan King and multiple service aces from sophomore setter Madi Maxwell.

“When I’m serving, I’m literally just like, ‘I’m going to hit my serve, I’m going to hit a flow,’” Maxwell said. “I don’t need an ace, if an ace happens it happens.”

The Beach offense continued to flow, as they led by as much as 11 before taking the first set 25-16.

Hawaii came out firing in the second as three-straight kills and a service ace from Leyva tacked up an early 4-0 lead, forcing LBSU to use a timeout.

“I saw some lack of urgency and some hesitation that looked a little too familiar, so we just stopped it,” LBSU head coach Natalie Reagan said. “I think the timeout for me is just to give them the opportunity as leaders to talk about what they want to change in that moment, I thought they did a great job of that.”

Rainbow Wahine freshman outside hitter Cha’lei Reid, who leads the Big West in service aces with 31, took control of the Hawai’i offense with six of her team-high ten total kills in the set, helping her squad take a 14-11 lead.

However, in similar fashion to the first set, The Beach offense flowed through the Wahine defense with a 4-0 run to take the lead at 20-17 after Maxwell’s third ace of the night.

Knotted up at 23 apiece, the seventh attack error in the set from Hawai’i took The Beach to set point in a back and forth set that featured a total of five ties, before LBSU senior middle blocker Rhiann Sheffie killed the Wahine’s set two victory dreams, 25-23.

LBSU senior middle blocker Rhiann Sheffie spikes the ball during LBSU’s match against Hawai’i on Friday, Oct. 17 at the Walter Pyramid. The Beach defeated the Rainbow Wahine in a 3-0 sweep. Rehansa Kulatilleke | Long Beach Current

“That’s some LB grit right there,” LBSU senior outside hitter Elise Agi said.

Agi’s grit transferred over into the third set where she had five of her game-high 11 kills on the night, allowing The Beach to sweep Hawaii 25-19, without giving the Wahine a lead or tie once in the final set.

“I think [we’re] in a really good place, motivation wise, and I think these wins, it does nothing but help them show up for practice,” Reagan said. “We’re constantly finding ways to move that needle and make sure that we’re holding the progress standard.”

LBSU’s victory over Hawai’i was its first since the 2023 season. The Beach next head to Cal State Northridge next on Thursday, Oct. 23 as they look to improve their conference record to 8-1 on the year.