BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—Carol Grasso and Sydney Haynes both recorded 15 kills to lead CSU Bakersfield past UT Rio Grande Valley 3-1 in Western Athletic Conference volleyball action Saturday afternoon.

The Roadrunners battled back from being down six midway through the first set to defeat the Vaqueros 25-23 in the opening set.  A 10-2 UTRGV run powered the Vaqueros to a 15-6 second set lead. The Roadrunners scored eight of the next 13 to cut the lead to 19-14.  UTRGV responded by earning six of the next seven points to even the match at one, 25-15.

CSUB led by as many as eight in the third set before a 12-6 Vaqueros' spurt cut the advantage to 22-20. The Roadrunners called a timeout and went to Grasso who responded with back-to-back kills. Bojana Mitrovic's kill staved off one set point before a CSUB blocking error kept UTRGV alive.  A 'Runner blocking error continued the set before a Haynes kill rounded out the set 25-22 in favor of CSUB.

The Roadrunners jumped to a 11-6 lead in the fourth before UTRGV rattled off five of the next six. The score was tied at 14, 15, and 16 before CSUB scored three straight. The Vaqueros called timeout which resulted in a UTRGV point. The Vaqueros again tied it at 21 before the 'Runners sped to three straight and a match point. The Vaqueros kept the match going with an Alisha Watson kill. CSU Bakersfield won the match when Grasso put down her 15th kill of the match for a 25-22 fourth set victory.

Grasso tallied her seventh double-double of the year as she added 12 digs. Grasso also recorded a match high four service aces, two blocks, and an assist. Haynes charted two blocks. Marina Sanches had 10 kills while CSUB setters Sidney Wicks and Fabiana Andrade combined for 43 assists.

UTRGV (12-6, 3-1 WAC) held a 16-6 advantage in team blocks, led by Alexandra Ecker who had nine. Ragina Steen Knudsen paced the Vaqueros with a double-double of 11 kills and 11 digs. CSUB limited UTRGV to .183 hitting and had seven more digs (55-48) than the Vaqueros.

“I thought we did a good job of stopping their big hitters,” said CSUB director of volleyball Giovana Melo. “We were focused on doing the little things and playing as a team. This was a big win for us as UTRGV was off to such a strong start. This gives us momentum and confidence going forward.”

The Roadrunners (5-11, 2-1 WAC) hit the road for the first time in WAC play next Thursday when CSUB travels to UMKC for a 7 p.m. (CT) start.

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