Long Beach State Dominates Saint Francis in Commanding Season Debut

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The No. 2 Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball squad showcased an impressive display in the 2025 season opener, sweeping Saint Francis, 3-0 [25-13, 25-15, 25-12] on Friday night at the Walter Pyramid.

The Beach (1-0) and the Red Flash (0-3) adjusted and included this match in their respective schedules following the catastrophic California Wildfires that led to the cancellation of Long Beach State’s previously arranged season opener against FDU, which was intended for Saturday, Jan. 11. Even with slightly more than 24 hours to get ready for an entirely unfamiliar opponent, Long Beach State seized the opportunity, achieving an outstanding .630 hitting percentage (34-5-46) and recording 12.5 blocks in their decisive straight set triumph.

Long Beach State exhibited balance on all fronts during the match. Freshman setter Moni Nikolov orchestrated the offense with 26 assists, distributing the ball effectively among five hitters who all recorded four or more kills. Each LBSU hitter achieved a hitting percentage of at least .455 or greater in the match. Nikolov himself delivered four kills at a .500 (4-1-6) attack rate, along with four blocks, three digs, and one ace in his collegiate debut.

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Skyler Varga and Daniil Hershtynovich spearheaded the offense with seven kills each. Varga achieved a hitting percentage of .667 (7-1-9), contributing four assists, three digs, two blocks, and an ace. In contrast, Hershtynovich finished with a .455 (7-2-11) hitting percentage alongside three blocks, three digs, and one ace.

Complementing the offensive efforts were Sotiris Siapanis and Ben Braun, with six and five kills, respectively. Braun recorded the top hitting percentage at .833 (5-0-6), while Siapanis contributed a hitting percentage of .750 (6-0-8).

Braun also excelled defensively with seven blocks, while Nikolov added four. Siapanis, DiAeris McRaven, and Hershtynovich all each contributed three blocks.

Liberos Kellen Larson and Ford Harman anchored the back row in their collegiate introductions, establishing a strong defensive foundation that kept the Red Flash off-kilter, as the visitors registered an equal number of attack errors and kills for a .000 hitting rate (22-22-69).

The Beach commenced the first set with a .667 hitting percentage (14-2-18), while Nikolov provided 10 assists in that initial frame. The LBSU defense was robust, limiting Saint Francis to a mere .042 hitting (7-6-24). Siapanis and Hershtynovich each tallied four kills, with Varga knocking down three in the opening set. Long Beach State widened the gap significantly when a kill from Varga initiated an 8-0 run that progressed their score to 20-10. Subsequently, the Beach secured a 25-13 victory in the first set.

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LBSU maintained its exceptional hitting into the second set, achieving a .400 clip (8-2-15). The Beach established an early lead with two 3-0 runs, advancing their score to 7-3. Saint Francis opted for their initial timeout of the set after a block assist from Braun and Nikolov granted Long Beach a 9-4 lead. Although the Red Flash managed to narrow the Beach’s lead to two points (12-10), that would be their closest approach. Long Beach State utilized a 5-0 run to establish a double-digit lead (24-14) leading to set point, before Varga concluded the set with a kill, 25-15.

Holding a 2-0 set advantage, Long Beach pressed on in the third set. The Beach initiated a 4-1 lead over the Red Flash and maintained that momentum. LBSU executed a 7-1 run to extend their lead to 16-6, putting the match out of contention. The Beach achieved a flawless 100% sideout percentage in the set, hitting a scorching .846 (12-1-13) as they finalized the third and last set, 25-15, completing the sweep.

Michael Mosbacher led Saint Francis with eight kills and two digs, while setter Kyle Charles provided 17 assists. Sam Lane and Brady Stump collaborated for the squad’s sole block of the match, with Stump delivering the team’s only ace.

Next week, Long Beach State will embark on a three-match road trip in the Midwest. The Beach is set to face Lindenwood on Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 5 p.m. (PT) in Saint Charles, Mo., followed by a match against No. 20 McKendree on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 5 p.m. (PT) in Lebanon, Ill. LBSU will conclude their road stretch against No. 14 Lewis in Romeoville, Ill., on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 5 p.m. (PT).