Long Beach State setter Moni Nikolov once again demonstrated his class, tallying 7 aces and finishing with 10 points in a 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-18) victory against CSUN in a Big West conference match. The "Beach" team was dominant against the Matadors and solidified their leading position in the standings.🏐🔥

Long Beach showed class from the serve

The Long Beach State team (14-1, 2-0 Big West) dominated in all elements, but especially in the serve. The team made 13 aces, with Nikolov being the main engine in this part of the game. Additionally, the hosts finished with an impressive 37.5% attacking efficiency, while their opponent CSUN (14-4, 0-2 Big West) was limited to a mere 2.1% - their lowest of the season.

"We played very focused and controlled the match from start to finish. I am proud of the guys," commented Long Beach State head coach Alan Knipe.

Individual performances: Nikolov shines, Delibosov with 3 points

Moni Nikolov finished the match with 10 points – 7 aces, 2 blocks, and 1 kill, contributing significantly to the dominant victory of the "Beach" team.
On the other hand, Delibosov was unable to unleash his potential and finished with a modest 3 points – 2 kills and 1 block.

Match progression

🏐 First set – LBSU 25, CSUN 17

Long Beach started confidently, hitting 31.2% in attack against a negative percentage (-8.4%) for CSUN. The "Beach" team built an early 10-3 lead and gave no chance for the visitors to get back into the set.

🏐 Second set – LBSU 25, CSUN 14

After CSUN tied at 3-3, the hosts scored six consecutive points and took a 9-3 lead. The gap continued to widen, and the Matadors could not find an answer to the powerful serves of Nikolov and his teammates.

🏐 Third set – LBSU 25, CSUN 18

In the final set, CSUN offered more serious resistance, with the score being tied 8 times up to 8-8. At that moment, Long Beach went on a 4-0 run, after which they controlled the match until the very end.

What's next?

Long Beach State remains undefeated in the Big West and solidifies its championship ambitions. CSUN will have to quickly recover if they want to get back into the fight for the top spots.

Long Beach State will return to the court tomorrow when they face #19 Princeton at Walter Pyramid.