Vikings Cage Cougars in Five

Santa Clarita, Calif. - The Vikings outlasted Canyons in a five-set thriller to improve to 2-0 on the season on Saturday afternoon.

Set scores were 21-25, 25-23, 25-14, 21-25, 15-7.

Freshman outside hitter earned her first career double-double, pacing the Viking offense with 16 kills and adding 15 digs with a pair of aces. Freshman Noronzie Malala was close behind with her own double-double with 13 kills, hitting .545, and adding 10 digs.

Defensively, Long Beach tallied 100 digs as a team led by sophomore libero Lizbeth Lopez's 31. Freshman setter Karyzma Aualiitia posted her second-straight solid performance with 31 assists, 19 digs, and a pair of blocks. Sophomore defensive specialist Celestial Ropati rounded out the double-digit digs club with 13.

At the net, sophomore middle blocker Kennedy Freeman counted four block assists with sophomore Abeni Williams-Lowery adding a couple of her own.

Long Beach returns home to host Santa Barbara next on Wednesday, Sept. 1. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. Due to COVID-19 protocols, spectators will still not be allowed to attend.