Long Beach State women’s water polo won its ninth consecutive game last week at Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center by beating Brown 14-5. SEE PHOTO GALLERY
“We definitely have the idea that we’re going to improve greatly throughout the year because I don’t get to spend as much time with them in the fall,” coach Gavin Arroyo said of splitting his time with both men’s and women’s water polo teams at LBSU. “But it’s sports, and you can’t predict anything.”
The Beach (15-10, 1-0) got a game-high four goals from senior Annabel Harman, while freshman Orsi Hertzka and junior Marilia Mimidi both scored a hat trick. Hertzka has a team-high 58 goals this season.
“She’s a baller,” Arroyo said of Hertzka. “She’s aggressive and nothing throws her off of her game. Her tenacity isn’t something you can coach.”
LBSU senior Tori Morrissey (pictured) has a team-high 21 assists this season.
No. 12 LBSU only has four Big West Conference games left in the regular season before hosting the conference tournament April 26-28. The first two are at home this week against No. 11 UC Davis (Thur. 7 p.m.) and No. 5 Hawaii (Sun. 12 p.m.). UCD junior Chloe Robinson leads the conference with 35 assists and junior Kathleen Schafle is tops with 36 steals.
Men’s Volleyball
READ MORE about No. 2 LBSU’s wins over No. 7 UC Irvine last weekend. SEE PHOTO GALLERY
This will be the second consecutive weekend that LBSU is playing a home-and-home on consecutive days against a conference opponent. LBSU and UC San Diego will play at Walter Pyramid at 7 p.m. on Friday, and again in San Diego at the same time on Saturday night. The Beach swept both of these Big West matches last year.
Softball
LBSU (14-18, 1-2) dropped its first Big West weekend series at Hawaii thanks to offensive struggles. Hawaii outscored the Beach 17-9 in the three games. LBSU was able to win the second game 5-2 while senior Lauren Lombardi went 4-for-7 with a walk on the weekend.
The Beach is at UC Riverside for a doubleheader on Saturday and the series finale on Sunday afternoon.
Baseball
The Dirtbags (3-23) lost all four games they played last week against Pac-12 opponents. LBSU put up a great fight but lost to USC 8-5 in 10 innings last Tuesday before being swept by Cal in Berkley over the weekend. LBSU sophomore Chris Jimenez set his career high with 4 RBIs in Saturday’s game, and senior Luke Rasmussen collected his 100th career RBI on Sunday.
LBSU is at No. 9 Arizona State tonight, and starts Big West Conference action against No. 21 UC Irvine this weekend. The Anteaters (18-5, 2-1) are led by junior Brandon Lewis who is tops in the Big West with 33 RBIs. Starting pitcher Trenton Denholm is tied for the conference lead with five wins, and closer Taylor Rashi leads the Big West with seven saves. The series continues at 6 p.m. on Saturday, and concludes at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Beach Volleyball
The Beach (17-5) won seven of the eight matches played at Pismo Beach last weekend as part of the Big West Challenge. LBSU beat Oregon, Cal Poly, CSUN, UC Davis and others. The top pair of sophomore Mari Molina and senior Megan Kruidhof went 7-1 on the week, and were named Big West Conference Pairs Team of the Week.
Women’s Tennis
LBSU (11-4, 4-2) suffered a tough 6-1 loss to Big West leading UC Santa Barbara last weekend. Freshman Emma Bardet was the only player to score a point for the Beach at No. 2 singles. The Beach is in Northern California this weekend for two matches in two days. They will face the UC Davis Aggies Saturday in conference action, and then travel to Fresno State where they will take on the Bulldogs in nonconferece play on Sunday.
Men’s Golf
Freshman Tyler Schafer finished in a tie for 13th, and senior Joe Fryer finished in a tie for 16th at The Duck Invitational in Oregon. LBSU finished 12th overall.
Track & Field
Senior Bria Palmer won the high jump last Saturday at the Jim Bush Legends Invitational, clearing 5 feet and 9.75 inches. The Beach will be at the Big West Challenge in Santa Barbara on Friday for the all-day event.
Men’s Basketball
Deishuan Booker is one of four seniors chosen from the Big West to participate in the 2019 Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship April 5-7 in Minnesota’s Mall of America. The tournament is for seniors from all 32 Division I conferences who have exhausted their collegiate eligibility. The winners take home $100,000 of a $150,000 prize pool, and earn a spot to compete in the 2019 USA Basketball 3×3 Open National Championship later this spring. The games will be carried live on Twitter at @3X3UHoops
