OREM, Utah.—Kelsee Sawyer  (Jr., Temecula, Calif., Great Oak HS) recorded a career high 30 kills and hit .443 to lead Bakersfield past Utah Valley 3-2 in Western Athletic Conference volleyball play Saturday afternoon.

The Wolverines got off to a hot start, connecting on six of their first seven attempts to take a 9-4 early lead. Trailing 17-11, the 'Runners called timeout and responded with an 11-3 run that was capped off by a Molly O'Hagan (Sr., Tonganoxie, Kan., Tonganoxie HS) kill that gave CSUB its first lead.

UVU called its second timeout of the set, but Bakersfield kept the momentum with a Sawyer kill. Mackey Treanor cut the lead to one with a kill for the Wolverines, but O'Hagan responded with her third kill of the set. An O'Hagan solo block gave CSUB a three-point lead. Treanor again got Utah Valley a point with a kill. Trailing 24-22, the Wolverines went to Treanor again and she responded with a kill to make it 24-23. Treanor's third consecutive kill tied the set at 24. Bakersfield ran a play for O'Hagan who earned the lead for the 'Runners with a kill. Lauren Bakker forced a 25-25 tie with a kill.

Danika Youngblood (Jr., Salt Lake City, Utah, Western Nebraska CC) put the Roadrunners up 26-25, but a 'Runners service error created a 26-26 score. The teams exchanged kills at 27-27. A Kalani Norris attack error returned the advantage to CSUB, 28-27. After a long rally, Cassie Wahlin's kill knotted things at 28. Sawyer earned Bakersfield its sixth set point at 29-28 with a cross-court kill. The Roadrunners ran another set for Sawyer who responded with her seventh kill and a 30-28 set victory for Bakersfield.

Utah Valley again started strong, jumping out to an 8-3 lead in the second set. Spurred on by back-to-back service aces from Eryn Riley (Sr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Los Osos HS), Bakersfield scored eight of the next 11 points to tie the set at 11. The Roadrunner run would end up 13-5, creating a 16-12 Bakersfield advantage, before UVU would take serve after an unforced CSUB error.

The Roadrunners would push their lead to 19-14 before UVU called its second timeout of the frame. The Wolverines scored the first three points out of the break, but Youngblood, halted the spurt with a kill and a 20-17 'Runner lead. Youngblood and Megan Johnson (R-Jr., Sandy, Utah, Western Nebraska CC), the two Utah natives on the Bakersfield roster, combined for a block and a four-point lead. Utah Valley recorded two of the next three points.

With the Roadrunners up 22-19, Sawyer tallied back-to-back kills to give CSUB set point. A service error returned serve back to UVU, but it was Sawyer again registering the set winning point, a kill that gave CSUB a 25-20 victory.

The Wolverines opened set three by scoring four of the first five points. The Roadrunners scored the next two to make it 4-3 when Utah Valley fired off three in a row. The Wolverines worked the lead to 10-7 before CSUB called timeout. The timeout worked for the Roadrunners as Bakersfield scored five of the next six points to take a 12-11 lead.

Once again a Roadrunner scoring spurt proved to be advantageous. This time, an 8-2 run moved the lead to three. With the 'Runners ahead 17-15, Utah Valley used a 7-3 run to regain the lead. With the Wolverines leading 23-21, UVU called timeout. Bakersfield closed to 24-23 on an O'Hagan kill, but a Youngblood attack error sent the match to the fourth set.  

The Wolverines once again got off to a strong start in the fourth set. Utah Valley would lead 4-1 and pushed the advantage to 7-3 before Bakersfield called timeout. UVU pushed ahead 8-3. The Roadrunners would only get as close as three in the set as the Wolverines defeated Bakersfield 25-17 to force the fifth set.

Utah Valley was on serve to begin the fifth, but McKenna Tait put the ball into the net. Baker's kill tied the match on the ensuing attack. Back-to-back Sawyer kills made it 3-1. Bakker and Sydney Haynes (R-Fr., Vancouver, Wash., Evergreen HS) traded kills. With CSUB, Treanor had a kill before Utah Valley setter Jen Hardman was called for a ball handling error. Mariah Alvidrez's (R-Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., Liberty HS) ace created a 6-3 CSUB lead.

Back-to-back Bakersfield attack errors cut the advantage to 6-5. Haynes' kill which preceded a Norris attack error pushed the lead back up to three. The teams exchanged ends which saw Wahlin earn a kill for the Wolverines. O'Hagan made it 9-6 with a kill. A bad set from Hardman put CSUB up 10-6 forcing a Utah Valley timeout. The timeout worked as two unforced Bakersfield errors brought the Wolverines closer.

Sawyer and Norris traded kills for an 11-9 score. The Roadrunners called on Sawyer as she posted two consecutive kills which put CSUB up 13-9. Out of a timeout, the Wolverines scored the next two points to get back to within two of the 'Runners. After a CSUB timeout, Treanor's kill created a 13-12 score. Sawyer rallied with her 30th kill for the first match point, but again, an unforced error, gave UVU a point. Match point number two saw Bakersfield call a play for Haynes up the middle. The 6-2 kinesiology major responded with the game winning kill as CSUB took the set 15-13.

Sawyer's 30 kills are a WAC season high and are the second most by a Bakersfield player at the Division I level. Sarah Norman posted 32 against Saint Mary's during the 2007 season. Sawyer's previous career best was 22 kills against UC Davis during the 2013 season. Sawyer would only have three attack errors in 61 attempts during the match. Her .443 hitting percentage is Sawyer's season high.

Youngblood recorded her eighth double-double of the year with 20 kills and 13 digs. O'Hagan ended the day with 13 kills and five blocks. Haynes earned 10 kills.

Luiza Martins (Jr., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Western Nebraska CC) registered her sixth double-double of the year with 67 assists and 15 digs. Martin's 67 assists are the most by a WAC player this season and are the second most by a CSUB player at the Division I level. Gabe Curtis holds the CSUB Division I record with 69 which she had against Utah Valley during the 2007 season. Alvidrez would conclude the match with 25 digs.

Utah Valley (9-12, 4-3 WAC) was paced by Treanor who earned a double-double of 17 kills and 10 digs. Norris had 14 kills with Wahlin going for 12 kills. Bakker was the fourth Wolverine with double-digit kills (11). Tait tied Alvidrez for the match high as she also had 25 digs.

The Roadrunners (9-11, 5-2 WAC) return to the Icardo Center Thursday night, when CSUB hosts New Mexico State at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at Vallitix.com.

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