Top-seeded Long Beach State won the NCAA men’s volleyball championship Saturday, defeating unseeded UCLA, 25-19, 23-25, 20-25, 26-24, 15-12, at Pauley Pavilion.
The 49ers were two points away from defeat twice in the fourth set. The Bruins tied the score, 23-23, on Dylan Missry’s kill, but he then served the ball into the net, giving Long Beach State a 24-23 lead.
A kill by UCLA outside hitter Jake Arnitz tied the score for the eighth time in the set, but a kill by the 49ers’ Josh Tuaniga and his service ace gave Long Beach State the victory, forcing the decisive fifth set.
There were five ties and four lead changes in the fifth set. Long Beach State took the set for good when back-to-back attack errors by the Bruins’ Christian Hessenauer and a third by Missry gave the 49ers a 12-9 lead, three points away from victory.
The Bruins pulled within one, 12-11, on a service error by Tuaniga and an attack error by Kyle Ensing, but UCLA was unable to get any closer.
A kill by Long Beach State’s Nick Amado assured the 49ers of their second men’s volleyball championship and first since 1991.
Tuaniga, a junior setter who had 46 assists, was selected as the most outstanding player of the NCAA Tournament.
Tuaniga was joined on the All-Tournament Team by two Long Beach State teammates, Ensing, a junior opposite/outside hitter who had a team-high 20 kills, and junior outside hitter TJ DeFalco, who had 18 kills.
UCLA junior setter Micah Ma’a, who had 52 assists, and Bruins sophomore middle blocker Daenan Gyimah, who had a match-high 21 kills, were also selected for the All-Tournament Team.
This was the 49ers’ seventh appearance in the National Championship match, and first since 2004.
UCLA was seeking to increase its own record for NCAA championships in men’s volleyball to 20. Its most recent NCAA men’s volleyball title was in 2006. This was the Bruins’ 26th appearance in the National Championship match and first since 2006.
The 49ers (28-1) moved into the No. 1 spot in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll Jan. 15 and has remained there ever since. UCLA (26-8) is ranked third.
Long Beach State began the season with a school-record 24-match winning streak. The 49ers suffered their only loss April 14 at Hawaii.
This was the third meeting of the season between the two teams, with the 49ers winning both of the previous two matches in four sets.