OREM, Utah—Utah Valley defeated CSU Bakersfield 3-1 in Western Athletic Conference volleyball play Thursday night.

Leading 6-5 in the first set, CSUB (3-11, 1-1 WAC) scored the next three points which led to a Utah Valley timeout. The Roadrunners pushed the spurt to 10-5 to take a 14-9 lead midway through the frame.  The Wolverines clawed back with a 10-3 run that resulted in a two-point Utah Valley lead.

CSUB battled back to tie the match at 21 when Kortney Freeland recorded a kill. UVU's Lauren Bakker, the preseason WAC Player of the Year, posted back-to-back kills for a two-point Wolverine advantage. The Roadrunners called timeout. Kiahna Steiner committed UVU's fifth service error of the set to return the serve to CSUB.  A Roadrunner service error created double set point for the Wolverines. Utah Valley earned a 25-22 victory after CSUB committed a hitting error.

Tied at three early on in the second set, Utah Valley's 6-2 charge put the Wolverines into the lead. The Roadrunners scored the next four points to tie the match. UVU called timeout and charged to the next two points.  Sydney Haynes' kill returned serve to the Roadrunners, but they couldn't keep possession as Abby Jensen went for a UVU kill.

Kills from Kelsee Sawyer and Lisa Armendariz tied the set for the fourth time at 12-12. CSUB took its first lead when Sawyer and Freeland blocked Madison Dennison.  Dennison returned the favor, blocking Freeland to once again tie the set. Steiner and Bakker blocked Sawyer to put UVU back into the lead. Down 15-14, the Roadrunners sped to the next three points, gaining a two-point advantage and forcing a UVU timeout.

The Wolverines (6-9, 2-1 WAC) used the break to their advantage, scoring the next two points to tie things up at 17. A Baker solo block pushed Utah Valley ahead by one. Armendariz's kill knotted the score but she committed a service error to again place UVU into the lead. Edithza Urias and Abby Jensen both tallied kills to keep UVU up by one. CSUB responded with two of the next three, which resulted in a 21-21 score.  At 22-22, Sawyer's kill put the Roadrunners back on top. CSUB earned its first set point when Sierra Starley committed a hitting error. Kills from Jaramey Barney and Steiner again tied the match.  Back-to-back Sabrina Turner aces earned the Wolverines a 26-24 set win and 2-0 lead heading into intermission.  

The Wolverines opened the third set by putting up five of the first seven points.  The Roadrunners came back with four of the next six to get back into the set.  UVU advanced the lead to 11-8 before CSUB called its first timeout of the set.  The Roadrunners put up the next two before a Steiner kill halted the CSUB offense.

The Roadrunners kept pace, scoring three of the next four to tie the set at 13. CSUB took a 14-13 lead on a Haynes kill. Sawyer made it five in a row with a kill. The Wolverines called their first timeout of the third set and saw the teams exchange the next eighth points out of the break.

Utah Valley worked their way back to a 20-20 tie, but Steiner served the ball into the net. With CSUB up one, Bakker put down her 14th kill. Sawyer responded with her 16th kill and earned the lead for the Roadrunners once again.  CSUB called a play for Sawyer again with the 'Runners coming away with a 23-21 advantage. Sawyer again recorded a kill, giving CSUB three set points. The 5-10 outside hitter put the set away with a kill, sending the match to a fourth set.

The fourth set got off to an even start. With the score 3-3, UVU posted the next three points for an extended lead. CSUB called timeout and earned the serve back with a Haynes kill.  The Roadrunners fell behind 10-7 before rallying to tie things up at 12 when Haynes put down a kill. Both squads scored on the ensuing possessions before Haynes and Luiza Martins blocked Steiner to earn a 14-13 lead.

UVU called timeout and scored three straight for the lead and a CSUB timeout. Sawyer recorded two kills over the next three exchanges to keep the Roadrunner pressure on.  However, a CSUB service error and a hitting error created a three-point lead once again for the Wolverines.

The teams again traded points before another Roadrunner hitting error pushed the lead to 21-17. Steiner's kill, her 17th, was followed by an Armendariz kill of her own.  UVU recorded only its 15th hitting error of the match to bring CSUB back to within three.  The Roadrunners couldn't take advantage, committing a service error. A Starley kill gave UVU five match points, but Sabrina Tanner served the ball into the net to keep the match going. Bakker registered only her third hitting error to create a 24-21 score.  UVU went back to the 6-2 middle hitter and her kill ended the night for CSUB 25-21.

Bakker led UVU with 18 kills and a .483 hitting percentage. Steiner hit .333 on the way to 17 kills. Starley, the Wolverines' setter, had 47 assists and 10 digs.

Sawyer tallied a match high 23 kills and hit .366 (23-8-41) for CSUB. Haynes charted 16 kills and three blocks. Urias tallied 11 kills. Martins dished out 55 assists and added six digs. Redshirt junior Sophie Flemion started at libero for the first time and came away with a career high 21 digs.

"It has been a very frustrating season for us so far," said CSUB director of volleyball Giovana Melo. "We are fighting so much adversity, it's hard to stay focused, but we have to keep looking ahead, and keep improving!"

CSUB continues WAC play Saturday at Seattle U. First serve is set for 1 p.m. and will be broadcasted via the WAC Digital Network. The Roadrunners will open the home portion of the 2015 slate on Oct. 8 when CSUB hosts UTRGV at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at Vallitix.com.

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