This crew should have a three year window* (this is year one) capping off with Long Beach hosting the NC in 2024. We could end up we 3 NC in that window or never making it past the semis (thankfully tonight assured that worse case won't happen). But we were clearly on edge those first couple of games tonight and overall we haven't been great with adversity this year as we were 1-4 in 5 game sets prior to winning tonight. I am hoping that is just because it is a young(ish) team. Hopefully this is the moment it clicks for them and we don't see those big sage nerves again/start doing better in 5 set matches. I mean our 18 and 19 teams also had some growing pains in 16 and 17.


*Provided Nikolov stays three years instead of opting to play pro somewhere overseas. Hopefully he can get a little NIL money to help convince him to stay. I get the NIL money won't be anything amazing BUT there might be a Long Beach business owner who would want to throw a little cash at LBSU best player on LBSU best team.

Also wouldn't be shocked (especially if we win in 2024) if Knipe just retires at the end of this stretch. I get he would only be 55 years old (if wikipedia is accurate) but he still would have been the coach for 20+ years and winning at home with your son as a sr setter is basically a story book ended. Don't get me wrong I hope he coaches longer as I doubt his replacement would match his results but just have a feeling he could be done soon.