By Alex Diaz (@DiazOnSports) – Spear Reporter | Photo by Taylor Cowhey – Spear Photographer
San Jose State (2-0) refused to be swept aside by the higher-ranked Beach on Saturday morning. The No. 10 Spartans powered past No. 6 Long Beach State (2-1) 14-12 at the Triton Invitational, using balanced scoring and late composure to grab their second victory of the season.
The first quarter played like a tug-of-war in the surf.
Long Beach opened the scoring, but SJSU quickly found its rhythm, stringing together a run that secured a 3-1 lead. By halftime, the Beach had pushed the margin to 6-6, spreading the ball around to keep defenders guessing.
The Spartans surged back in the third quarter, pulling six more goals while the Beach trailed behind, only scoring two, 12-8.
Just as momentum seemed to shift, the Spartans steadied themselves. Junior utility Mitchell Keightley found the back of the net, giving SJSU the lift it needed to reclaim control 13-8.
Long Beach kept pressing late, cutting the waters close, scoring four goals in the fourth, but every push met resistance.
With the score at 14-12, the Spartans slammed the door.
The win marked a statement for SJSU, now 2–0 to open the season, while Long Beach State fell to 2-1.
The Spartans will look to carry their momentum deeper into the Triton Invitational, proving that their spot among the nation’s top teams is no accident.
