Feb. 14, 2003
STANFORD, Calif. - Seventh-ranked Stanford opened up an 11-match homestand with a 27-30, 32-30, 30-25, 31-29 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation loss to sixth-ranked Long Beach State on Friday night at Maples Pavilion.
The 49ers improved to 8-5 overall and 4-4 in the MPSF, while the Cardinal fell to 6-7 and 4-5.
Stanford next hosts unranked UC San Diego on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at Burnham Pavilion. The match will mark Stanford head coach Don Shaw's second attempt at career win No. 500.
Stanford, which was playing its third straight match without All-American opposite Curt Toppel (abdominal strain), used a late run to capture game one. The score was tied at 24-24 before Stanford reeled off five of the next six points to take control. Senior outside hitter William Strickland had a pair of kills in the decisive run.
In game two, Long Beach State broke a 30-30 tie with back-to-back kills by Scott Touzinsky. The 49ers then took control of the match in game three by going on a 6-1 run that broke a 24-24 tie and gave the visitors a 30-25 win. In the fourth game, Long Beach State broke a 29-29 tie and clinched the victory on a kill by Robert Tarr and a Cardinal hitting error.
Senior opposite William Curtis hit .538 with 17 kills and nine digs to lead the Cardinal, while Strickland had 17 kills, five digs and three blocks. Senior middle blocker Paul Bocage chipped in 15 kills, two service aces and two blocks for Stanford.
Touzinsky had match-highs of 27 kills and 12 digs for the 49ers. Long Beach State out-hit Stanford .389 (79 k-23 e-144 ta)-.372 (70-19-137), and had 41 digs to the Cardinal's 33.