LONG BEACH, Calif. — Logan King and Sidney Hamaker each recorded 14 kills as Long Beach State improved to 3-0 in Big West play Friday night, defeating UC Santa Barbara 3-1 in front of 1,478 fans at the Walter Pyramid.
 
Long Beach State outlasted UCSB in a dramatic first set, 31-29, to take an early lead. The frame featured 18 ties and five lead changes, with neither team leading by more than three points after the midway mark. UCSB surged ahead 20-19 on a kill from Eva Travis before the Beach answered behind King and Hamaker, who combined for timely swings to keep the set even.
 
The Gauchos held off three set points, including a late block from Layanna Green and Travis that forced a 29-29 tie. Long Beach State went up 30-29 on an Elise Agi kill before sealing the set on a UCSB miscue.
 
UC Santa Barbara responded with a strong showing in the second, pulling away late for a 25-20 win. The Gauchos used a balanced attack, with Travis and Kiersten Schmitt fueling a 7-2 run that flipped a 15-14 deficit into a commanding 22-18 lead. Schmitt hammered key kills early in the frame, while Travis capped the surge with a finish off a set from Milan Rex.
 
Defensively, UCSB tightened at the net, highlighted by a block from Jordyn Johnson that sparked momentum and forced a Long Beach State timeout at 16-15. From there, the Gauchos controlled the pace, with Gabi Martinez and Green contributing timely kills to keep the Beach from closing the gap. Travis delivered the set-clinching point, evening the match at one set apiece.
 
Long Beach State regained control in the third set, rallying late for a gritty 25-23 victory. UCSB surged ahead early behind blocks from Johnson and Schmitt, building a 12-8 cushion after back-to-back defensive stops. The Gauchos extended the lead to 13-10 on a Travis kill, but the Beach answered behind King and Madi Maxwell, who fueled a 5-0 run to swing momentum and force a UCSB timeout at 15-13.
 
The Gauchos clawed back, tying the set at 23-23 after an Izzy Ostovar serve forced a Beach error. Long Beach State responded out of its timeout, as Nieko Thomas delivered the go-ahead kill before a Gaucho attack error sealed the set, 25-23.
 
The Beach rode a blistering serving run from Tatum Hoff to pull away in the fourth and close out UCSB with a 25-17 win. With the junior on serve at 6-5, Hoff sparked a 9-0 surge that built a 15-6 advantage. The Gauchos used kills from Travis and Martinez to trim the deficit to 18-13, but Long Beach State maintained control behind King and Agi. Rhiann Sheffie’s kill pushed the Beach to set point, and Maxwell sealed the frame with a service ace — clinching Long Beach State’s seventh consecutive victory.
 
The match featured 49 ties, 21 in the first set alone and 23 lead changes. King recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 14 kills and 10 digs. Sheffie reached double-digit kills for the fifth straight match, hitting .257 with six digs. Agi added 11 kills, five digs, and four blocks. The back-to-back Big West Setter of the Week honoree, Maxwell, directed the offense with 40 assists, nine digs, and two blocks. Laurel Barsocchini registered a season-high 10 digs.
 
Schmitt posted a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs for UC Santa Barbara (10-5, 2-1 Big West). Travis led all players with 17 kills on 59 total attacks (.102), while Martinez added 11 kills and Cortni Youngblood notched a match-high 20 digs.
 
Long Beach State (10-4, 3-0 Big West) returns to action Saturday night, hosting Cal Poly (11-4, 2-1 Big West). ESPN+ coverage begins at 6 p.m.
 

~#LongBeachBuilt~