WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL : Long Beach Back on Track After Defeating Hawaii, 3-0

Cal State Long Beach showed it has come a long way since the beginning of the season with a three-game victory over Hawaii on Saturday night.

The third-ranked 49ers defeated No. 13 Hawaii, 15-4, 15-9, 15-6, before a crowd of 995 at Long Beach.

It was the second consecutive night the 49ers beat the Wahines in straight games.

“We’re playing better,” 49er Coach Brian Gimmillaro said. “We’re still a long way from where we want to be, but there are flashes of brilliance.”

Long Beach advanced to the final of the NCAA tournament in 1991 but lost its 1992 opener to No. 2 Stanford.

Danielle Scott, a middle blocker, led all players with 12 kills, despite an ankle injury suffered in the preseason.

Hitter Alicia Mills had 11 kills and a team-high five blocks for the 49ers.

Hawaii never mounted a serious threat after Long Beach scored 14 points in a row in the first game.

Long Beach (7-1, 4-0 in the Big West Conference) struggled at the start of the second game, trailing, 4-0, but the 49ers caught up on three kills by Scott and one by Mills.

Long Beach let Hawaii back into the third game after taking a 7-0 lead, when Hawaii scored six unanswered points. But the 49ers did not give up a point thereafter.

Hawaii (5-5, 4-2) has no seniors on its roster. Starting freshman middle blocker Sarah Chase had a team-high seven blocks, but she also had nine hitting errors.

Kristal Attwood led Hawaii with 10 kills.

Middle blocker Kee Williams, Hawaii’s only first team All-American last season, was hampered by surgery on her leg 10 days ago. She had four kills and three blocks.