WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL NCAA TOURNAMENT : Long Beach Ousts Illinois State

Cal State Long Beach scored an easy victory over Illinois State in the first round of the NCAA Northwest Regional on Thursday night at Long Beach.

Big West Conference Player of the Year Danielle Scott and setter Sabrina Hernandez led the way in the third-ranked 49ers’ 15-8, 15-7, 15-4 victory.

The victory advanced the 49ers (29-2) into tonight’s 7:30 final against fourth-ranked University of the Pacific. The Tigers, who finished second in the Big West behind Long Beach, defeated the conference’s third-place team, UC Santa Barbara, in the regional’s earlier game. Tonight’s winner advances to the Final Four at New Mexico next week.

Illinois State (30-4) was quickly dispatched, with Long Beach taking 10-3 and 13-3 leads in the first two games.

Pacific (27-5) took a 2-0 lead in its 15-9, 15-2, 8-15, 15-6 victory over Santa Barbara by breaking a 2-2 tie in the second game with 13 consecutive points.