TUCSON,
Ariz. - Just when things
were looking up for the CSUB volleyball team, bad luck struck in the form of a
key injury as the Roadrunners lost to a pair of high-caliber opponents on day
one of the Wildcat Classic at the McKale Center in Tucson Friday.
CSUB
won the first set but couldn't hold a lead late in the third, falling to 2009
NCAA Tournament qualifier Louisville in an afternoon match, 23-25, 25-20,
25-23, 25-16. After splitting the first two sets against a Butler team that won
22 matches in 2009, the 'Runners held a big lead in the third set when
sophomore libero Lauren Holderman
(Bakersfield HS) left with a shoulder injury. The defense imploded from
that point and Butler came back for a 20-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-11 win.
CSUB
got 27 kills and five aces on the day from junior outside hitter Lindy DeGeare (Stockdale HS). Freshman
outside hitter Haleigh Haratyk
(Corona/Centennial HS) added 19 kills, including 12 against Louisville,
while junior middle blocker Alysia Baker
(Vista/Tri-City Christian HS) led the front line with eight total blocks.
Against
Louisville, the 'Runners came from 16-10 down to take the first set. The
Cardinals used a 5-0 run to break a 13-13 tie en route to winning the second
set. CSUB appeared to take control late in the third set, breaking a 14-14 tie
with a 6-2 run to forge ahead 20-16. Trailing 22-21, however, Louisville scored
four of the final five points to take a two sets to one lead.
The
fourth set remained close until a 9-2 run gave Louisville an 18-11 lead that
wouldn't be challenged.
The
'Runners played their best statistical match of the season in the early going
against Butler. Each team used a late run to split a pair of 25-20 decisions in
the first two sets. When CSUB raced to an 11-6 lead to open the third set,
fortune seemed to be smiling on the 'Runners. But Holderman went out and the
Bulldogs piled on four aces down the stretch to come from behind for the third
set win. They sprinted to a 9-3 lead to open the fourth and the match was over,
for all intents and purposes.
The
'Runners will end play at the Wildcat Classic Saturday with a match against
host Arizona at 1 p.m. Following that match, they return to Bakersfield for
their 2010 home opener against UCLA on Sept. 9.
