Long Beach State and UCLA. A rivalry that never disappoints.
The Beach Takes Control
Long Beach State stormed the court with one mission: redemption. After last year's heartbreak, they weren't letting this one slip. 25-17, 25-23, 25-21. A sweep. Not just a win. A statement.
Moni Nikolov, the National Player of the Year, set the tone right out of the gate. Four aces, six kills, and a match-high 27 assists. You could feel it coming. This guy was on a mission. "It's such a relief," Nikolov said. "I wanted this win more than anything else."
Knipe's Legacy Continues
Head coach Alan Knipe knows championships. He's been there as a player and now thrice as a coach. "The feeling absolutely never gets old," Knipe said. Losing three starters would shake any team. Not this one. They adapted, and it paid off.
Kandev Steps Up Big
Alex Kandev, the shutdown hitter, was ready when his number was called. Thirteen kills in the championship match. "I always have to be ready," Kandev said. And he was. Unfortunate for Sotiris Siapanis? Sure. But Kandev? He handled business.
The Flip
This match? Chaos. The good kind. It was the fifth time in six years these teams clashed in the NCAA tournament. But this time, Long Beach State flipped the script. They had no answer for the Beach's intensity.
Nikolov was named NCAA All-Tournament MVP. Add that to his AVCA National Player of the Year and Big West Player of the Year honors. This season? Legendary.
And from there... it was over.
Long Beach State proved they're no joke. With a fourth national championship in the bag, they're not just contenders—they're the standard.
Source: the562.org
