SEATTLE, Wash.—Danika Youngblood (Jr., Salt Lake City, Utah, Western Nebraska CC), Molly O'Hagan (Sr., Tonganoxie, Kan., Tonganoxie HS), and Kelsee Sawyer (Jr., Temecula, Calif., Great Oak HS) combined for 36 of the 41 Bakersfield kills as the Roadrunners defeated Seattle U 3-0 Thursday night in Western Athletic Conference volleyball action.

Led by Youngblood, who hit a perfect 1.000, the Roadrunners earned a 25-19 opening set victory. The 5-7 outside hitter was 8-for-8 as Bakersfield committed only one hitting error as a team tallied .708 hitting percentage for the set (18-1-24).

The teams were tied three times early on in the second set. At 7-7, Seattle used a 7-1 spurt to take the lead. Bakersfield would battle back, closing the gap to 20-19 to force a Redhawks' timeout. The 'Runner defense threw up a block that tied the match at 20.

A Seattle U ball handling error gave Bakersfield its first lead (21-20) since it was 4-3 in favor of the Roadrunners. O'Hagan's block on a SU attempt pushed the CSUB lead to two. The Redhawks called timeout and scored the next two points for the fourth tie of the set. With the teams knotted up at 23, O'Hagan's kill put the Roadrunners back into lead. Eryn Riley (Sr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Los Osos HS) posted a service ace to clinch the set, 25-23, for CSUB.

Bakersfield jumped out a 6-3 lead in the third set, pushing the advantage to 13-6 when the Redhawks called its final timeout. The Roadrunners controlled the net, earning three points off blocks in the final stages. Bakersfield closed the match out on a Megan Johnson (R-Jr., Sandy, Utah, Western Nebraska CC), winning the final set 25-13.

Youngblood led all players with 14 kills. She would go 10-for-10 before she committed the first of four hitting errors in 25 chances on the night (a .400 percentage). O'Hagan and Sawyer each charted 11 kills. The Roadrunners hit .315 on the night (41-13-89). Luiza Martins (Jr., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Western Nebraska CC) had 30 assists. Riley would end the match with three of the CSUB 10 service aces.

Seattle U hit .202 (34-15-94). Jelena Vujcin paced SU with 10 kills. The Redhawks held a Stephanie Stoll tallied 9-4 team blocks advantage. Stephanie Stoll recorded seven individual blocks.

Bakersfield improves to 8-11, 4-2 in the WAC and will travel to Utah Valley Saturday for a 1 p.m. (MDT) start. Seattle U drops to 7-12, 3-3 WAC. The Roadrunners return to the Icardo Center Thursday, Oct. 23, when CSUB hosts New Mexico State at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at Vallitix.com.

~www.GoRunners.com~