Long Beach State and UCLA? Unstoppable.
Long Beach Reigns Supreme
Long Beach State is on a roll, folks. They just took down Princeton, moving to a perfect 18-0. That's right, 18 straight wins. And just like that, they're showing why they're the top dogs.
Nato Dickinson was a wall at the net, racking up seven blocks and earning Big West Defensive Player of the Week. His teammates weren't slacking either. Skylar Varga led with 11 kills, and Moni Nikolov snagged Setter/Freshman of the Week honors.
Next up? NJIT. And if Long Beach keeps this up, NJIT better brace themselves.
UCLA's Winning Streak
Meanwhile, over at UCLA, things are looking mighty fine. The Bruins made light work of Vanguard, stretching their win streak to eight. Luca Curci and Cooper Robinson handled business, leading the charge with seven kills and five blocks, respectively.
But here's the kicker: UCLA's got a tough road ahead. Matchups against Pepperdine, GCU, BYU, and USC could shake things up. Can they keep the streak alive?
National Team Development Program Power
Both Long Beach and UCLA boast players from the USA Volleyball National Team Development Program. DiAeris McRaven and Ben Braun from Long Beach were key players in national victories, while UCLA's Andrew Rowan has a golden history with the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six team.
These guys aren't just playing for their schools; they're repping on a national level, and it shows.
Here's the takeaway: Long Beach and UCLA are the real deal. They're not just winning; they're putting on clinics. And from here, it's anyone's guess who can stop them.
Source: USA Volleyball
