SACRAMENTO, Calif. ? All but left for dead after the first two sets, the CSUB volleyball team gave a Lazarus-like performance to upend 10-time Big sky Conference champion Sacramento State 17-25, 16-25, 28-26, 25-22, 18-16 to close the first day of action at the Sacramento State Invitational in Hornet Gym.
CSUB (2-2 overall) won in five sets for the second consecutive match. It marks the first time they've done that at the NCAA Division I level and the first time they've done it overall since defeating Sonoma State and Humboldt State in consecutive five-set marathons in October of 2006.
Credit Friday's win to a gutsy effort by the entire team, but especially to strong performances by senior setter Barbie Unfried (Bakersfield HS) and sophomore middle blocker Alysia Baker (Vista/Tri-City Christian HS).
“We don't win that match without Barbie,” said Head Coach John Price. “She almost single-handedly kept us in it until we found our footing.”
“Alysia did an outstanding job as well,” Price added. “Not only did she earned some big points as a blocker and attacker, but she led a very strong effort by the entire team from the service line.”
Unfried did a solid job getting all of her hitters involved. Eight different Roadrunners recorded kills in the match, led by Baker and sophomore outside hitter Lindy DeGeare (Stockdale HS) with 12 each. She also set freshman outside hitter Tika Smith (Sweeterwater [TX] HS) for a career-high 11 kills.
But Unfried went a step further, adding eight kills, 10 digs and a match and career-high five blocks. Her biggest block was a solo effort on Janelle Curry with the Hornets swinging for the first of their three match-point attempts at 24-22 in the third set.
Nevertheless, Baker played the hero's role with the match on the line. She went back to serve and gave CSUB its first set point with an ace at 24-24.
A DeGeare ace closed the third set and got the Roadrunners back in the match. Baker then helped polish off the fourth set. Her kill leveled the set at 22-22. She then stepped back and served the final three points to force the fifth set.
With Sac State on the ropes, CSUB put itself in position to run away with the fifth set, racing to a quick 7-3 lead. But the Hornets fought their way back, using a 5-0 run to tie the match at 12-12.
Sac State nearly turned the come-from-behind table on the Roadrunners, but CSUB saved a third match point to force a 14-14 tie. The Roadrunners wasted two match points of their own before DeGeare set up the ultimate match point with a kill at 16-16. Fittingly, Baker served out the match to end the marathon.
CSUB concludes play at the Sacramento State Invitational with matches against nationally-ranked Santa Clara at 10 a.m. and former CCAA rival UC Riverside at 5 p.m.
