No. 3 seed Long Beach State 3, No. 6 seed UC Irvine 0

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LONG BEACH, Calif. — No. 3 seed Long Beach State swept sixth-seeded UC Irvine in straight sets from their home floor in the first round of The Hawaiian Islands presents the 2025 Outrigger Big West Women's Volleyball Championship on Wednesday night.

LBSU advances to the championship semifinal round to take on No. 2 seed Cal Poly on Friday at 6 o'clock from the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid.

Long Beach State claimed the first set 25-18 against Anteaters with Madi Maxwell facilitating the offense effectively, assisting on multiple kills, including a pivotal one by Nieko Thomas to end the set. 

The Beach claimed the second set 25-20 against UC Irvine, leveraging a strong offensive performance. A key sequence included a service ace from Sidney Hamaker, followed by a kill from Elise Agi, giving the Beach a 5-3 advantage early in the set. The home team further extended their lead with a series of attack errors by UCI, which contributed to a decisive run that secured the set victory.

LBSU secured the third set with a narrow 26-24 victory over UC Irvine. The frame was marked by a crucial late surge by the Beach after UCI rallied with seven straight points to knot the frame at 17 apiece as Campbell Jensen held serve and a the Anteaters even took the rare lead on the ensuing point. Logan King delivered a significant impact with four kills, including the decisive one at 25-24, while Maxwell contributed with multiple key assists. King and Rhiann Sheffie combined on the block on Sydnee Rowe's final attempt to clinch the set.

King emerged as a key defensive player, leading the team with 16 digs, while also contributing offensively with 11 kills on .435 hitting. Maxwell registered 40 assists with Agi added to the team's efforts with 12 kills and 10 digs. Sheffie closed the match with 10 kills and three blocks. 

Nicole Feliciano directed the UCI offense with 24 assists. Senior Jensen was a defensive anchor, contributing 12 digs, helping to stabilize the backcourt. Kendra Duffey finished the night with 12.5 points, including a team-high 11 kills. The Anteaters cap the year with a 13-18 overall record after a third-straight postseason appearance. 

 25-18, 25-20, 26-24 on Wednesday at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid. LBSU recorded 47 kills and 56 digs, while securing a .198 hitting percentage. The Anteaters managed 31 kills with a .097 hitting percentage.

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