PHOENIX, Ariz.—Bakersfield rallied from 2-0 down at Grand Canyon, but the Antelopes held on to defeat the Roadrunners 3-2 in Western Athletic Conference volleyball action Saturday afternoon.

Grand Canyon (17-9, 6-6 WAC) came out firing in the opening set. Led by Shannon Dugan, the Antelopes hit .520 (13-of-25) in the opening set as the Antelopes defeated the Roadrunners 25-17. Dugan was 6-of-10 from the field in the first frame.

Grand Canyon began set two on a 7-2 run before the 'Runners closed to within three at 10-7. The Antelopes responded by scoring four of the next five points and pushed the advantage out to 21-12. Bakersfield rallied again, closing the gap to 23-17 before GCU won the second set 25-20.

The Roadrunners (11-14, 7-6 WAC) came out of the halftime break by mounting an 8-2 spurt. The Antelopes scored six of the next eight points to cut the CSUB lead to two. Grand Canyon closed to within one on two occasions in the middle of the set.  With the Roadrunners up 15-14, CSUB scored three in a row to force a GCU timeout.  The 'Runners would outscore Grand Canyon 10-3 for a 25-17 set win.   Bakersfield outhit the Antelopes .324 to .105 in the third set.

Bakersfield kept the momentum up to begin the fourth set as CSUB went up 8-3 when GCU called its first timeout. The closest the 'Lopes would come to would be five as Bakersfield tied the match 25-17. Bakersfield again outhit Grand Canyon as the Roadrunners hit .375 compared to .000 (9-9-35) for the Antelopes.

The 'Runners opened the fifth set with a Molly O'Hagan (Sr., Tonganoxie, Kan., Tonganoxie HS) kill. Natalie Tardy tied it up with a kill on the ensuing GCU possession.  O'Hagan and Tardy exchanged kills to make it 2-2. Danika Youngblood (Sr., Salt Lake, City, Utah, Western Nebraska CC) returned the lead to the 'Runners with a kill.

A Dugon hitting error put CSUB up two.  O'Hagan pushed the lead up to three with a service ace. Grand Canyon called timeout which resulted in a Grace Dimond kill.  GCU closed to one when Youngblood was blocked by Megan Byrnes and Hannah Hicks.  A Tardy attack error restored the 'Runner lead to two. Byrnes responded with a kill. The Antelopes tied the match on an Emily Vitel service ace.

Star Tucker-Campbell (R-So., Moopark, Calif., Moorpark HS) posted a kill for a 7-6 Bakersfield lead.  Tucker-Campbell was set again in the middle and she responded with a kill. A Roadrunner attack error brought GCU to 8-7.  Kelsee Sawyer (Jr., Temecula, Calif., Great Oak HS) posted a kill to make it 9-7, but a CSUB service error again created a one-point set.  Bakersfield went back to O'Hagan and she tallied a kill. But again, CSUB had a service error. O'Hagan's 20th kill of the day was followed by a Dugan ball handling error which resulted in Grand Canyon calling timeout down by three.

Tardy earned a kill out of the timeout which was followed by CSUB's third unforced error of the set which made it 12-11. Bakersfield called timeout.  The timeout worked as O'Hagan recorded a kill, but her next serve went into the net. Youngblood's hitting error tied things up at 13. Youngblood's next attempt was blocked and on match point, Dugan recorded a service ace to give GCU at 15-13 set victory

Dugan led Grand Canyon with a double-double that was comprised of 15 kills and 16 digs. She also posted six blocks. Tardy had 13 kills. O'Hagan tied her career high with 21 kills. The 5-11 middle blocker hit .390 for the match (21-5-41). She added five blocks and four digs. Youngblood also posted 21 kills. Youngblood charted nine digs and two blocks.

Luiza Martins (Jr. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Western Nebraska CC) registered her 10th double-double of the year with 48 assists and 15 digs.  Mariah Alvidrez (R-Jr., Bakersfield, Calif., Liberty HS) had 19 digs while Sophie Flemion (R-So., San Simeon, Calif., Coast Union HS) earned a career high 13 digs.

Bakersfield returns to the Icardo Center Thursday night when CSUB hosts Utah Valley in a 7 p.m. start. Tickets are available at Vallitix.com.

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