LBSU redshirt freshman opposite Logan King (left) and freshman libero Izzy Mahaffey (right) celebrate a point with teammates in The Beach’s sweeping victory over UC Riverside at the Walter Pyramid on Thursday night. Rehansa Kulatilleke | Long Beach Current

After two straight road losses against two of the top three Big West teams, Long Beach State women’s volleyball clinched a postseason berth with a dominating 3-0 sweep over UC Riverside on Nov.13 at the Walter Pyramid. 

A closely contested opening set got away from UCR (7-18) thanks to senior middle blocker Rhiann Sheffie, who sported a new look Thursday night, wearing No. 97 instead of her usual No. 11.

“Found out about six minutes before the game was gonna start that I did not have my jersey,” Sheffie said. “I was a little stressed going into hitting lines … it was one of those things that could have set me off, but I just took a couple deep breaths.”

 Sheffie approached LBSU head coach Natalie Reagan about the situation, to which Reagan responded with, “Just get a kill for me,” and the senior middle blocker executed.

Sheffie had four straight kills to put LBSU (18-8) up 22-13 before her eighth kill of the set sent the Highlanders to the bench as The Beach took set one, 25-14. 

LBSU, which ranks second in the Big West in kills per set with 13.59, had 17 first-set kills, with Sheffie and redshirt freshman opposite Logan King combining for 13. 

“At first I wasn’t really aware of how many kills I was getting,” Sheffie said. “I think I was just out there and I was just having fun and I think that the support of my teammates really helps me to feel freed up and have that fun.”

The Beach continued to have fun as they opened up set two, dominating the Highlanders with a 6-0 run.

Senior middle blocker Nieko Thomas sent a terrifying kill down towards Highlander junior middle blocker Kylie Proctor, forcing her to shield her head with her hands. 

The LBSU defense held UCR to just five kills on 36 attacks in the set, as senior outside hitter Elise Agi was just one kill shy from matching the Highlanders’ total herself. 

LBSU sophomore setter Madi Maxwell passes the ball to senior outside hitter Elise Agi during the second set of The Beach’s sweep of the Highlanders on Thursday night, at the Walter Pyramid. Rehansa Kulatilleke | Long Beach Current

The stifling Beach defensive effort fueled a 10-1 run to cruise to a 25-9 set two victory.

“We talked about throwing the first punch and closing the door and I thought we did that really well … and for us, just staying on the pedal and making sure the standard is still there was really important,” Reagan said. 

A 1-0 lead by UCR to begin the third set was the second and final lead the Highlanders would see on the scoreboard on Thursday night, as Agi joined King and Sheffie with double-digit kills to set The Beach up for a match point ace by sophomore setter Milani Lee, taking the set 25-13. 

With Big West Championship seeding still in play, The Beach faces UC Davis (17-5), who currently hold the top spot in the conference standings, on Friday during Senior Night at the Walter Pyramid. 

“The emotions are going to be high, and we talk a lot about how to manage that and some tools for that, and so I really do trust our group to be able to manage that, but it’s going to be really exciting,” Reagan said.