LARAMIE, Wyo. — Freshman standout Sidney Hamaker delivered an impressive performance, hitting .571 with 13 kills, as Long Beach State achieved a clean sweep over Portland during match two of the UniWyo Invite on Friday afternoon at the UniWyo Athletic Complex.
Match Overview
Long Beach State overcame an early setback to claim the opening set 25-19. Portland quickly took a 3-0 lead, courtesy of a kill from Lucia Busso and an ace from Tinoa Woodward-Hart. However, Hamaker responded with consecutive kills, helping to shift momentum in favor of the Beach. With a decisive block from Nieko Thomas and an ace by Hamaker, Long Beach established a 10-6 advantage.
Portland managed to narrow the gap to 17-15, fueled by kills from Elin Larsson and Maui Robins. Nevertheless, Long Beach State countered with a strong 5-1 run, highlighted by two aces from Madi Maxwell, extending their lead to 22-18. Rhiann Sheffie capped off the set with two critical kills, the last being off an assist from Maxwell, thus securing the first set for Long Beach.
Dominance in the Second Set
The Beach showcased their prowess in the second set, clinching a dominant 25-10 victory. They began with a 6-2 lead, thanks to Maxwell’s consecutive service aces and an additional ace from Elise Agi. Hamaker continued to shine at the net, adding four kills in a five-point span that pushed the score to 15-4.
Izzy Mahaffey contributed with a service ace after a timeout, and Preslie Yates made notable contributions off the bench. The set concluded with a kill from Pola Bujnarowska, who, alongside Anabel Kotzakov, further solidified the team’s lead. Portland struggled throughout the set, committing 11 attack errors and failing to come within eight points at any stage.
Securing the Sweep
Long Beach State continued their strong performance in the third set, finishing with a 25-17 scoreline. The Beach established a quick 5-1 lead, powered by kills from King and Agi, along with an ace from Agi. Although Portland managed to pull within two points at 7-5, Long Beach responded with a 6-2 run, culminating in a solo block by Hamaker for a 15-11 lead.
King remained a crucial offensive force, delivering key kills and a pivotal service ace that prompted Portland’s second timeout at 19-12. The match progressed with Hamaker and Kotzakov contributing late points, culminating in Kotzakov’s two consecutive kills to set up match point. After a brief delay due to a service error, Sheffie concluded the match with another impressive kill, effectively sealing the victory for Long Beach State.
Player Highlights
Hamaker finished the match with a remarkable statistic of 13 kills against just one error in 21 attempts, alongside two blocks and a service ace. King contributed nine kills and eight digs, achieving a .600 hitting percentage. Maxwell was instrumental in setting the pace, providing 36 assists alongside five digs and four service aces. Long Beach State demonstrated offensive efficiency, hitting .374 as a team and limiting Portland to a .173 percentage. Notably, the Beach recorded a season-high 11 service aces, while the Pilots managed just one.
Looking Ahead
With this victory, Long Beach State improved to 6-4 for the season and will face Idaho State (3-7) to conclude the UniWyo Invite on Saturday morning. Coverage of the match will be available on the Mountain West Network starting at 1 p.m.
~#LongBeachBuilt~
