NEW ORLEANS - Long Beach State handed the University of New Orleans
their second straight loss on the weekend with a 3-2 (25-22, 25-20,
13-25. 23-25, 15-13) victory on Friday night in the Allstate Sugar Bowl
Classic at Fogelman Arena.
Edina Dobi had a career-high 15 kills for UNO (4-4) as the team's rally from a two-set deficit came up short. The Privateers had 14 blocks with Anett Farkas having a hand in a career-high eight.
Dobi completed a double-double with 13 digs with Lindsey Loyd also obtaining a double-double with a 13 kill, 17 dig effort. Hajnalka Molnar had 27 assists on the night while Nicky Valenti paced the back row with 25 digs.
New Orleans native Naomi Washington led LBSU (4-2) with 19 kills while Caitlin Ledoux had 15 kills and 19 digs. Ashley Lee was the top setter on the floor with 47 assists while Lauren Minkel took match-high honors in digs with 26.
Poor hitting hurt the Privateers in the opening set as the squad hit a collective -.029.
The 49ers taking advantage of the UNO offensive struggles, scored 6 of 8 points out of the gate and maintained a lead until UNO earned their first tie at 22 on an LBSU attack error. It would be the last error for the squad from California as the 49ers closed out the set with three straight points.
A strong hitting LBSU squad greeted the Privateers in the second frame. After an early tie at 2, the 49ers gained control of the set, keeping UNO at distance, by hitting .333.
The Privateers looked like a different team at the start of the third set, scoring the frame's first five points prompting LBSU head coach Brian Gimmallaro to call a prompt timeout. UNO added four more points following the timeout with Farkas and Maria Szivos combining on two blocks before Washington finally broke through with the first point for the 49ers.
Leading 10-1, the Privateers struggled to get around the LBSU block as the 49ers crawled back within five. UNO kicked it into gear once more gaining a 12-point advantage at 22-10 and closing out the set on an Dobi kill, 25-13.
The momentum had cleary shifted in the Privateers' favor as the fourth set began. With Farkas and Szivos continuing their strong play at the net, UNO opened the frame on a 5-1 run.
LBSU did not let the Privateers run away with the fourth set as they had the previous one, tying the score at 10 and grabbing their first lead of the frame at 11-10. After a 7-2 run by UNO put the squad in the driver's seat, the 49ers went on their own 7-2 run to go on top 20-19.
The Privateers got the lead back after Molnar put down a kill and followed with an ace. As she did in the third set, Dobi closed the fourth with a kill.
In the final set, LBSU scored the first three straight points. The Privateers rallied back as Farkas and Dobi combined on a block to tie the score at four before yet another 3-0 run by the 49ers put them in the lead.
The two teams would exchange the lead one more time with the 49ers closing out the match with a 15-13 edge.
UNO will look for their first win on the weekend against LSU at 5 p.m. in the team's final match of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Classic.
