BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Fresno Pacific is the only non NCAA Division
I school the CSUB Volleyball team will face in 2009. It likely is also the
best.
The
Roadrunners nearly picked up a signature win for the season against the
Sunbirds Tuesday night, before FPU pulled the match out of the fire in a
thrilling 19-25, 29-31, 25-22, 25-16, 15-4 win in the Icardo Center.
The
win was the 56th consecutive regular season victory for the two-time
defending NAIA Champions (21-0 overall), who used their superior size and
experience to summon a comeback after being three points from being swept.
Lindy DeGeare led all attackers
with 18 kills for CSUB. Lindsay Toone added 12 kills and Alysia Baker 11 for the Roadrunners. Setter Barbie Unfried chipped in 47
assists.
Also
of note, senior libero Kayla Williamson moved up to the No. 6 spot on the CSUB career digs list,
posting 27 Tuesday to give her 1,331 for her career.
Slovakian
star and Mississippi State transfer Martina Gregusova led the Sunbirds with 16
kills. Michelle Johnson, a Bakersfield Christian High graduate, added 15 kills
and seven blocks.
CSUB
(10-12) hit .310 and controlled the first set behind a balanced attack that saw
five players register kills. It seemed to take control in an epic second set
that saw Fresno battle back from a 17-11 deficit to serve for the match at
24-22. CSUB saved three match points and the Sunbirds saved four before
consecutive kills by Toone and Unfried gave the Roadrunners a 31-29 victory and
a 2-0 lead in the match.
But
things turned on a dime at the end of the third set. CSUB led 22-20 when
Tiffany Marinos followed a Michelle Johnson kill by serving the final four
points of the set for the 25-22 win.
A
Baker kill got the fourth set off to a good start for CSUB before Marinos came
back to haunt the 'Runners again. She leveled the set with a kill of her own
then served four more points as CSUB struggled to get out of the rotation. By
the time she floated a served into the net to end the run, CSUB wouldn't get
closer than three points as Fresno eased away to tie the match.
CSUB
was never in the fifth set as Fresno raced to a 10-2 lead en route to the win.
The
Roadrunners will take their longest break of the season, taking nearly two
weeks off before hosting San Diego State Oct. 24 in a 2 p.m. start.
