LONG BEACH, Calif. — Long Beach State took care of business Saturday night at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid, sweeping Vanguard 25-21, 25-16, 26-24 to move to 9-1 on the season.

The Beach were efficient from the start, finishing the night hitting .382 with 34 kills on just eight errors. Even when Vanguard applied pressure, Long Beach State maintained composure and executed with grit. The opening set featured 15 ties and six lead changes, and it felt like neither side could gain much separation through the middle stretch.

Tied at 16-16, the Beach elevated their level, applying steady service pressure and closing blocks at the net to create a late cushion. An Alex Kandev ace to end the set sealed the 25-21 win and gave Long Beach State early momentum.

That momentum carried directly into the second. After the teams were knotted at 8-8, the Beach strung together a decisive run behind aggressive serving and disciplined transition offense. Vanguard struggled to find rhythm, hitting just .062 in the frame, while Long Beach State operated at a .375 clip. A flurry of service aces widened the gap, and the Beach pulled away comfortably, 25-16.

The third set was a battle. Vanguard refused to go quietly, keeping the score within a point or two throughout and eventually tying it at 24-24. But in the decisive moments, Long Beach State remained composed. The Beach hit .393 in the final set, producing 15 kills, and capitalized on a late Vanguard attack error to finish the sweep, 26-24.

Skyler Varga led the offense with 11 kills on .474 hitting and added three digs. Alex Kandev delivered one of the most complete performances of the night, tallying nine kills while hitting .533, along with seven service aces and six block assists. Wojciech Gajek contributed eight kills, and Ben Braun added three kills on .500 hitting while playing a major role in a 12-block team effort.

Jake Pazanti orchestrated the attack with 28 assists, helping the Beach maintain balance across the front row, while libero Kellen Larson anchored the back line with seven digs and steady serve-receive.

Long Beach State finished with a 13-4 edge in aces and out-hit Vanguard .382 to .149, continuing a trend of strong, efficient performances at home.

The Beach now turn their attention to a road matchup against No. 1 UCLA on February 20 at Pauley Pavilion.

 

Â