BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—CSU Bakersfield defeated Seattle U for the ninth consecutive time, dating back to the 2011 season, 3-1 Thursday night in the Icardo Center.

The Roadrunners led 18-13 in the first set before Seattle U used a 12-3 run to earn a 25-21 victory in the first set. Reigning WAC Player of the Week Martina Samadan hit .800 (4-0-5) and had two of the eight individual Redhawk blocks in the set.

“I didn't really think that we started very strong,” said CSUB director of volleyball Giovana Melo. “I thought we backed down a bit when they put pressure on us.  That's not who we are and that's what we talked about in between the first and second sets.”

The Roadrunners jumped out to a 10-5 lead in the second set and led 18-11 before SU came back. The Redhawks cut it to 21-20 when Matea Mamic was called for a foot fault. CSUB was awarded the serve where Kelsee Sawyer and Kortney Freeland blocked a Jelena Vujcin hitting attempt. A Mila Duarte hitting error resulted in a Roadrunner set point where Sawyer and Freeland combined again to block Vujcin and sent the match into intermission tied at one.

The third set featured 13 ties and nine lead changes. At 15-15, CSUB mounted a 10-2 charge that featured three Sawyer kills as the Roadrunners took the set by a 25-17 count. Sawyer recorded seven of her 15 kills in the fourth set. CSUB led by as many as eight at one point as the Roadrunners took the match 25-19.

“We were did a better job of playing as a team,” Melo said. “We didn't do a good job of serving or passing, which we have been doing lately. In the crucial moments we were able to take care of the ball. It was the little things that each of our players did is what we did well.”

Sawyer and Edithza Urias each posted 15 kills to pace the Roadrunners.  Carol Grasso posted her third consecutive double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs. CSUB setter Luiza Martins dished out 43 assists, charted six digs, and had three kills. Sophie Flemion tallied 18 digs.

Samadan put up her 1,000th career kill in the third set and led the Redhawks with 15 kills on the night. The 6-5 hitter also had four blocks and two digs. Mamic earned 10 kills, eight digs, and three blocks. Setter Kerry Lane registered 30 assists.

At 7-2 in WAC play, the Roadrunners (9-12 overall) sit one game behind Utah Valley (8-2, 13-10 overall), Saturday's home opponent for second place in the league standings. The top two teams get first round byes in the WAC Tournament which begins Nov. 19 in Kansas City. Seattle U remains in fourth (6-4) in the conference standings. The Redhawks are 14-9 overall. NM State leads the WAC at 9-0, 20-5 overall.

“Utah Valley is a very good team,” Melo said. “We lost at their place earlier this year. We need to continue to get better and do a better job of serving and passing against them.”

Tickets for Saturday's match are available at Vallitix.com.

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