NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - In what has become a running theme, the CSUB volleyball team lost two more player prior to Wednesday's match at longtime rival Cal State Northridge. Freshman Emily Cote went down to illness and junior middle blocker Alysia Baker was declared out for the foreseeable future with the dislocated finger she suffered last week in Montana.

The personnel losses left CSUB with just one middle blocker and no subs outside its regular rotation.

But the Roadrunners got 16 kills from Lindy DeGeare, back from the illness that sidelined her for the previous two matches, and 13 from freshman Haleigh Haratyk to give their best performance since early September in a 25-13, 25-20, 19-25, 25-19 Northridge win at the Matadome.

Northridge took early control of the first set, racing to a 10-3 lead and never looking back. When the Matadors used a 5-0 run to forge ahead 18-12 in the second set, it appeared as if the Roadrunners were done. But CSUB scrapped back, closing to within 22-20 before the Matadors survived by winning the final three points.

While the 'Runners fell behind 2-0 in the match, the momentum generated by the late comeback in set two carried over to the third set. A 9-2 run midway through the third put CSUB firmly in control, giving the 'Runners their first set victory since Sept. 3.

The 'Runners continued their solid play well into the fourth set before finally running out of gas. With CSUB leading 10-9, the Matadors made the decisive push with a 9-1 spurt that put them ahead 18-11 and the 'Runners never got closer than five points the rest of the way.

In addition to their 29 total kills, DeGeare and Haratyk each served four aces. Junior setter Danielle Gong led an eight-ace night for the 'Runners with three of her own.

CSUB will take the weekend off before hosting defending NAIA national champion Fresno Pacific Tuesday evening.