EUGENE, Ore. ? It fell on the shoulders of the volleyball team to open the NCAA Division I era in CSUB Athletics. The Roadrunners acquitted themselves well, but good proved not quite good enough as they fell to Big 12 Conference contender Kansas in four games at the opener of the Oregon Kickoff Classic in Eugene Friday evening.

CSUB shook off a slow start to play three solid games before the Jayhawks pulled out a 30?23, 30?27, 25?30, 31?29 win on McArthur Court.

Junior outside hitter Sarah Norman, the only 'Runner with NCAA Division I playing experience, led all attackers with a career?high 21 kills. Junior libero Mystie McNaughton chipped in a match?high 24 digs. Senior defensive specialist Erica Baldwin added four aces and now sits just 19 behind Erikka Gulbranson's CSUB career record of 193.

CSUB fell behind 10?2 out of the gate. When they finally found their sea legs, the 'Runners played the Jayhawks even for the rest of the game but couldn't complete the comeback.

The even play continued through game two, with neither team leading by more than two points until a pair of Emily Brown kills broke a 22?22 tie allowing Kansas to pull out the 30?27 win.

Game three was all Bakersfield as the 'Runners never trailed. They raced to a 10?4 lead, held off brief Jayhawk challenge that cut the lead to 20?17, then finished off the 30?25 win with a Norman kill.

Game four proved to be a microcosm of the match. Kansas eased out to a five?point lead before the 'Runners closed to within one at 18?17. The Jayhawks appeared to put the match away when they moved ahead at 28?24 only to see CSUB rally to tie the match at 28?28.

A Rosemary Stribling kill saved one match point for CSUB before Kansas scored the final two points to put the match away.
CSUB will conclude play at the Oregon Kickoff Classic with two matches Saturday. The 'Runners will play host Oregon at 10 a.m. before finishing tourney play against Idaho State at 4:30 p.m.