MADISON, Wis. -- Veronica Walls had 19 kills and made a game-winning shot as Long Beach State held off Penn State 3-2 for the NCAA volleyball championship Saturday.
Penn State, like Long Beach State undefeated going into the final, took a 7-2 lead in the fifth game after Long Beach won the first two 15-3 and 15-10 and Penn State the next two 15-13 and 16-14.With the help of two Penn State hitting errors and kills by Walls and Anja Grabovac, Long Beach tied it 8-8. It was 12-12 until two kills by Jessica Alvarado and Walls' game-winner gave Long Beach a 15-12 victory and the title before a crowd of 13,194, largest ever for an NCAA volleyball match.
"When you beat a team 15-3 and 15-10 and then fight with everything you have for the end of the match, it is thrilling," Long Beach coach Brian Gimmillaro said. "I'm very proud of these women."
Alvarado had 17 kills and Benishe Dillard and Grabovac 16 each.
Lauren Cacciamani made 33 for Penn State, Christy Cochran had 13 and Carrie Schonveld 12.
"It was our year. It was our time," Alvarado, a senior, said.
Long Beach State (36-0) is the first team in the tournament's 18-year history to finish undefeated. It also won in 1989 and 1993.
"It's the best team in my 14 years I've seen play volleyball," Gimmillaro said. "It's tremendous to see."
Penn State (35-1) lost last year's title match to Stanford, also in five games.
"Penn State's a very good team. (Do I) empathize? In a way," Alvarado said. "I've been there and I know how that feels. However, I believe the best team won."
"What do you want me to say?" Cacciamani said. "It hurts."