BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—Fans of CSU Bakersfield Athletics will get the opportunity to see seven home events over the next four days on the CSUB campus beginning Thursday when the Roadrunner volleyball team welcomes UTRGV at 7 p.m. in the Icardo Center. The first 250 fans receive a 2014 WAC Championship Trophy Rally Towel.
On Friday, the CSUB soccer teams host a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. when the Roadrunners women host Missouri-Kansas City. The CSUB men welcome Grand Canyon to the Main Soccer Field at 7:30 p.m.
Friday is Faculty/Staff Appreciation and ASI Athletics Night. Pizza, snacks, drinks, and games for CSUB Students will be available courtesy of ASI, Campus Programming, and the SRC in between the soccer matches. There will be inflatables and face painting beginning at 5 p.m.
At halftime of the men's match, 25 contestants will get a chance to shoot soccer balls at Romeo of Hot 94.1 FM and if they are successful, they will win prizes courtesy of CSUB Athletics.
Saturday's action gets underway at 11 a.m. when the CSU Bakersfield swimming teams open the season against WAC rival Grand Canyon. At 1 p.m., the Roadrunner volleyball returns to the court against NM State.
The weekend concludes on Sunday at the Main Soccer Field. At 10:30 a.m. CSUB hosts Chicago State. Action concludes at 6 p.m. Sunday night when the Roadrunner men host UNLV in a rematch of the 2014 WAC Tournament finals.
Volleyball Preview
The Roadrunners went 1-1 last week, losing at Utah Valley before defeating Seattle U for the eighth consecutive time 3-1 on Saturday. CSUB (4-11, 2-1 WAC) swept three matches from UTRGV last season including a 3-0 decision in the first round of the WAC Tournament. UTRGV is 8-9, 1-2 in the WAC entering this week. Bojana Mitrovic averaged 5.86 kills and 4.29 digs per set as the Vaqueros went 1-1 last week.
CSUB defeated NM State 3-1 in the semifinals of the WAC Tournament last season. The Aggies enter the week atop the WAC standings with a 3-0 mark. NM State is 13-5 overall. Sasha-Lee Thomas averaged 2.63 kills on .561 hitting and 1.00 blocks per set as the Aggies went 3-0 last week.
Men's Soccer Preview
This will be the 28th time CSUB and Grand Canyon will be playing men's soccer with the Roadrunners leading the all-time series 21-5-1. The Antelopes are 6-3 and are one of three teams tied for first in the WAC with a 2-0 record. Alberto Garcia Sanchez leads GCU with six goals, three assists, 15 points, and 44 shots. He is among the top three in the league in all four categories.
CSUB went 1-0-1 last season against UNLV. The Roadrunners defeated the Rebels 2-1 in Las Vegas before playing to a 1-1 tie in the finals of the WAC Tournament. UNLV defeated the Roadrunners in penalty kicks to advance to the NCAA Tournament. CSUB leads the all-time series 7-2-1. The Rebels are 7-3, 1-1 in the WAC. Danny Musovski is the team leader in goals (6), points (14), and shots (31). Like Garcia Sanchez, he is among the league leaders in those categories.
Women's Soccer Preview
CSUB enters the week on a three-match string of results as the Roadrunners opened conference play with a tie followed by two victories. Last weekend's pair of wins is the first time the 'Runners have had a two-win weekend on the road in CSUB Division I history.
Missouri-Kansas City is the defending WAC regular season Champion. The Kangaroos have had a slow start to open conference play this season (1-1-1), but their overall record of 7-4-1 is a not-so-subtle reminder that UMKC is a formidable threat. Chicago State is 0-12, 0-3 in WAC play.
Men's and Women's Swimming Preview
The CSU Bakersfield swimming and diving teams have been chomping at the bit to get back to competition and the Roadrunners will finally get their chance this week.
Grand Canyon's men's and women's squads both finished fourth at last year's WAC Championships, one spot ahead of CSUB. For the Roadrunners, it will be the first chance of the year to show their fellow WAC members what they can do. Bakersfield said goodbye to a solid group of seniors a year ago, but has a strong core of returners and a crop of newcomers who are all ready to make waves in the pool.
Director of Swimming Chris Hansen expects Justice Kramer, Owen van Krimpen, and Chris Salcido to play a huge part as newcomers for the men. His women's team will look to returners Kelsey Lange, Paola Hernandez, Carlee Burks, Melissa Gore, and several others to lead a group of freshmen.
~www.GoRunners.com~
