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For all the praise going into the match about setter Josh Tuaniga’s ability to run the No. 1/1 Long Beach State offense, it was the All-American’s serving that secured the biggest win of the season.
Tuaniga had a match-high two aces and was serving when Long Beach State erased an 18-15 deficit midway through the fourth game with an 8-0 run that helped complete the victory against No. 2/2 UCLA 23-25, 25-15, 25-19, 25-21 on Saturday in Long Beach, California.
The serving from Tuaniga and Long Beach State helped keep the UCLA offense out-of-system during the non-conference match as the Bruins had a season-low .191 attack percentage. UCLA entered the match second-best in the nation with a .367 attack percentage and had hit at least .400 in six straight matches.
Long Beach State (13-0, 0-0 Big West) playing in front of a program-record crowd of 4,560 people finished with a .343 attack percentage. In addition, Tuaniga had 39 assists and in the second and third game guided the offense to hit .457 and commit a combined one attack error.
The 49ers began the weekend with a nation-best .429 attack percentage and continued its streak of hitting more than .300 in every match this season.
Long Beach State had two players finish with double-digit kills against UCLA (13-2, 3-0 MPSF). All-American outside attacker TJ DeFalco finished with a match-high 17 kills on a .419 attack percentage, while All-American opposite Kyle Ensing added 16 kills.
DeFalco, the 2017 AVCA National Player of the Year, also led all players with both 12 digs and five blocks.
UCLA middle attacker Daenan Gyimah in the loss had a team-high 13 kills and hit .600 with one attack error, which came late in the match.
Gyimah was only UCLA player to have more than five kills and a .250 attack percentage.
With this victory, Long Beach State remains the only undefeated in the country and extends its nation-best winning streak to 13 matches.
The two teams will conclude their home-and-home series as UCLA plays host to Long Beach State on Wednesday.