HONOLULU, Hawaii - Freshman
opposite hitter Kelsee Sawyer (Temecula, Calif., Great Oak HS) recorded a
career-high 19 kills late Wednesday night to lead the CSU Bakersfield
volleyball team, but the Roadrunners fell to Hawaii Pacific 3-1 (25-16, 25-15,
22-25, 25-22).
Junior outside hitter Debora Araujo
(Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Western Nebraska C.C.) added 17 kills and eight digs
for CSUB, while junior setter Fernanda Gonçalves (Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Western Nebraska C.C.) posted 43 assists and
seven sets and red-shirt sophomore libero Mariah Alvidrez (Bakersfield, Calif.,
Liberty HS) had an impressive defensive performance with 21 digs.
In the first set,
Hawaii Pacific (16-8), playing in its home finale of the season, was ahead 6-5
before going on a 5-0 run to take a 11-6 lead and the 'Runners never got any
closer. The second was closer and was tied 10-all before the Sea Warriors
scored nine of the next 11 points on their way to a 2-0 lead in the match. CSUB
battled back in the third match, pulling out a hard-fought win after the set
was tied 19-all late. Gonçalves snuck in a kill to put CSUB up 20-19 and helped
fuel a run to victory to force a
fourth set. The fourth set featured an extremely close fight and was tied at
22-all before Hawaii Pacific pulled away for the victory.
Three Sea Warriors hit
double digits in kills as Amanda Moriarty had 16, Sanoe Recca posted 13 and
Haley Doerfler added 10.
CSUB (12-16) will remain
in Hawaii to face Chaminade on Friday at 7 p.m. HST (9 p.m. PST). After playing
Chaminade, the 'Runners will return to the continental United State for its
final two matches of the season against New Mexico on Sunday and San Jose State
on Tuesday.
~www.GoRunners.com~
