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Moni Nikolov with No. 1/1 Long Beach leading comfortably late in the third game moved towards the center of the court to play a ball that had just been dug up.
The freshman setter had plenty of options of who to set with an in-system ball about five from the net. Nikolov reading the defense, though, jumped, partially spun around his body in mid-air and with a full-force swing delivered a kill that landed right in front of the Grand Canyon back row.
It was a highlight reel play. Yet for Nikolov those types of plays have seemingly become less of a highlight and more of a regular occurrence.
Nikolov and the Long Beach State offense have just been that good – and continued to be against No. 8/8 Grand Canyon.
Nikolov guided the offense to a .355 attack percentage as Long Beach State swept Grand Canyon 25-18, 27-25, 25-18 on Friday in Long Beach, California.
This was the seventh time in the last eight matches that the Beach hit more than .350. In addition, Long Beach State entered this match leading the nation with a .413 attack percentage.
Nikolov along with running the offense had seven kills on a .667 attack percentage against Grand Canyon. The Bulgarian setter also was one of four Beach players to have more than five kills and hit more than .300.
Outside attacker Skyler Varga led Long Beach State with 13 kills on a .545 attack percentage and did not commit an error until midway through the second game.
Opposite Danii Hershtynovich added 11 kills, while outside attacker Sotiris Siapanis contributed nine kills.
Middle attacker DiAeris McRaven defensively finished with a match-high five blocks in the non-conference victory.
Long Beach State limited Grand Canyon to less than a .150 attack percentage through the first two games.
Pin-hitter Jarrett Anderson in the loss had a team-high 11 kills on a .435 attack percentage. Anderson, though, was the only Grand Canyon player to have more than four kills.
Long Beach State with this victory remains the only undefeated team in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball.
This was the first meeting between the Antelopes and the Beach since the NCAA Tournament semifinals last season. Long Beach State playing on its home court rallied from a two-deficit to beat Grand Canyon in five games and advance to the finals.