LONG BEACH, Calif. — No. 2 Long Beach State was swept by No. 3 Hawai’i 25-18, 25-22, 25-20 at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid Saturday night, as the Rainbow Warriors controlled tempo behind offensive efficiency and sustained scoring runs that repeatedly halted any Beach momentum.<\/p>\n
Long Beach State was led by freshman Wojciech Gajek<\/a>, who carried the bulk of the offensive load with 16 kills on 30 swings (.367) and a match-high 18.5 points. Skyler Varga<\/a> added seven kills and Alex Kandev<\/a> added six, but neither was able to sustain long stretches without error, contributing to the team’s struggle to generate an efficient offense.<\/p>\n The match turned on Hawai’i’s ability to create separation runs midway through each set, often triggered by serve pressure and block-defensive sequences.<\/p>\n In the opening set, Long Beach State stayed within striking distance early, but Hawai’i used a decisive 7-1 run to break open a tight 6-6 frame into a 13-7 advantage. That run featured a Titriyski ace and multiple transition kills, forcing the Beach into out-of-system swings. Late in the frame, Hawai’i capitalized on Long Beach errors and sealed the set 25-18.<\/p>\n Set two was the most competitive of the night, featuring 15 tie scores and five lead changes, but even there Hawai’i dictated the critical stretches. With the score tied 18-18, Long Beach State had an opportunity to seize control, but Hawai’i responded with a 4-1 surge fueled by transition offense and a Gajek attack error. The Beach briefly tied at 22-22, but Hawai’i finished on a 3-0 run, including a triple block that halted Long Beach’s right-side option at a pivotal moment.<\/p>\n In the third set, Long Beach again hung close early, trailing just 10-9, but Hawai’i produced the defining run of the match, extending the margin as much as 20-14 before closing out the sweep at 25-20.
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