Broncos Win Classic Battle, Edge Long Beach State in Five

Friday, August 24

Portland, Ore.

1:00 PM

Boise State

1-0

Long Beach State

0-1

Boise State

Long Beach State

Photo by: Boise State Photo Services

Broncos Win Classic Battle, Edge Long Beach State in Five

8/24/2018 5:36:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Roberts and Donahue record double-doubles to lead Boise State in win.

By: Courtesy: Boise State Athletics

Match Box (PDF)

PORTLAND, Ore. (8/24/2018) - Boise State opened the 2018 campaign by edging past Long Beach State in five sets 12-25, 25-22, 25-14, 20-25, 16-14 in what was a classic volleyball battle Friday afternoon at Portland, Ore. Boise State started slow dropping the first set, then rallied taking the second and third sets before fighting off a Long Beach State rally that claimed the fourth, eventually holding on for the five-set victory over the 49ers.

"It was one of the craziest college volleyball matches I've ever been a part of," said Boise State head coach Shawn Garus. "We were fortunate enough to get contributions from a lot of different people which added up to a good result for us. We had a lot of kids playing in their first college match contribute in big ways. Jessica Donahue was just unbelievable with 10 blocks and was second on the team in kills with 12. Jessie Brigham had a service ace to clinch the win and served well all day, as well as playing solid defense. There were a lot of excellent efforts from a lot of people on this team that helped us get this win. We have some many new pieces to this team this year, it was good to see the new and the old blend together and figure out how to get the win."

BRONCOS WIN!! Boise State (1-0) takes down Long Beach State for its first victory of the 2018 season! #BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/uo6jlzXK1z
— Boise State VB (@BroncoSportsVB) August 24, 2018

This is the first victory for the Broncos over Long Beach State in eight attempts. The 49ers, a traditional power in the west, are also the second team who has won a national championship (three) in their history that Boise State has ever defeated, Washington is the other.

Leading the Broncos were senior outside hitter Sabryn Roberts and freshman middle blocker Jessica Donahue who tallied double-doubles in the win. Roberts recorded team-highs for kills and digs with 13 and 14, respectively. Meanwhile, Donahue had 12 kills and a team-high 10 blocks, tying for the seventh-most blocks all-time in Bronco history and setting a new freshman record.

A key for Boise State entering the season was how fast its eight newcomers could pick up the system and jell with the veterans. Today four of them started, including three true freshmen. Morgan Hughes a transfer senior started at middle blocker, while the three freshmen included Donahue, Danielle Boss at setter and Jessie Brigham at libero.

"We have a talented freshman class and they worked hard in the preseason," Garus said. "They earned the opportunity to start and I thought they did well out there today. They had a lot of jitters starting in their first collegiate match, but got through it and contributed to this victory. I'm really proud of them."

Hughes notched five kills, one service ace, seven digs and one block. Boss led the team in assists with 28 to go with two kills, one ace, five digs and two blocks. Defensively, Brigham tallied a team-second-best 13 digs along with three assists and two service aces.

Two other freshmen who debuted for the blue and orange were Shae Duffy at outside hitter recording three kills, four digs and three blocks; in addition to Hannah Kochl at defensive specialist earning five digs and one service ace.

Sophomore Kiley Lewis had a solid match in the opener tallying nine kills, one service ace, nine digs and three blocks. Janell Walley, junior outside hitter, had four kills, two digs and one block against the 49ers. Junior setter Cassedi Simon dished out 12 sets and had two digs.

After dropping the opening set by 13 points 25-12, Boise State regrouped to claim the next two. The second set saw the Broncos withstand a 5-0 49ers run to turn a 6-6 tie into a 11-6 advantage. Boise State slowly rallied behind two kills and five blocks from Donahue, as well as five kills by Robert in the period to tie the match at one win apiece.

Trailing 11-9 in set three, the Broncos rallied with a 7-0 run to take a 16-11 advantage midway through the frame. The blue and orange then stretch its lead out to 10 points at 23-13 before putting the set away 25-14.

Long Beach State came back in set four to win 25-20 and force the match into a decisive fifth for the win.

Boise State took control immediately to open the fifth, racing out to an 8-3 lead. But Long Beach State would not go away as the 49ers rallied from 14-10 down to tie it up at 14 all. The Broncos regrouped once more and came back behind a kill by Lewis to give the blue and orange its fifth match point at 15-14, followed by Brigham icing it with a service ace to hand Boise State the set victory 16-14 and the match 3-2.

The victory gives Boise State its fourth-straight season opening win. Next up for the Broncos will be and encounter against Portland State at 1 p.m. (Mountain) Saturday afternoon in the Viking Pavilion on the PSU campus.