LA JOLLA, Calif. -  The UC San Diego men's volleyball team dropped its season opener to top-ranked Long Beach State 30-24, 30-21, 30-21 on Wednesday night in RIMAC Arena.  The Tritons were led by Chris Sayers with 13 kills and Tim Dietrich added six kills on .364 hitting.  The 49ers improve to 4-0, winners of last weekend's Elephant Bar Invitational.  LBSU was paced by Duncan Budinger with 13 kills on .812 hitting. 

In game one, LBSU took a 9-4 lead on back-to-back UCSD attack errors.  The Tritons scored five of the next seven points, capped by a Sayers kill to force LBSU into a timeout with the Tritons ahead 14-11.  UCSD remained in front untill a LBSU kill by Paul Lotman put the Beach in front 19-18.  The Tritons kept the deficit at one point until a Robert Tarr kill put LBSU ahead 24-22.  LBSU scored six of the next eight to end game one 30-24 on a UCSD attack error.

In game two, the teams went back and forth with neither team taking a lead of more than two points, being tied at 9-9.  LBSU scored three straight and maintained a small lead at 19-16.  The Tritons could not overcome LBSU's .429 attack percentage in game two, falling 30-21, the last point on a Triton service error.

Long Beach State took command early in game three, charging to a 10-3 lead.  The Tritons pulled within 5-10 after a Garret Smith kill and LBSU attack error.  UCSD would remain five points behind until a Brenden Bowe kill and a Jon Daze service ace pulled UCSD within 16-20.  LBSU would finish the match on a Budinger kill, 30-21 as LBSU hit .545 to UCSD's .121 in game three.

UCSD is back in action on Friday, January 13 when it travels to Columbus, Ohio to take on Ohio State at 7:00 p.m. (EST).