Utah Valley Defeats CSUB In Five Set Thriller

Women's Volleyball September 18, 2016 CSU Bakersfield Athletic Communications

CSUB Falls 3-1 To UCI In Roadrunner Classic Finale

| Box Score 4

BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—UC Irvine defeated CSU Bakersfield 3-1 in the final match of the Roadrunner Classic for both programs Saturday night.

After an opening set that featured 13 ties and seven lead changes, CSUB edged the Anteaters 26-24. The Roadrunner front line came away with three team blocks during the set and their net presence forced several UCI hitting errors including a Idara Akpakpa mistake on set point that gave the 'Runners the victory.

UCI outhit CSUB .323 to .216 in the second set as the Anteaters tied the match 25-23. UCI outside hitter Victoria Dennis hit .600 (6-0-10) during the set. On the strength of Dennis' serve, the Anteaters jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the third. The Roadrunners would close the gap to two on several occasions, but UCI would take a 2-1 lead, 25-18. CSUB struggled from the field, hitting .094 (9-6-32). The Anteaters turned up the defense in the fourth set, limiting the Roadrunners to .000 hitting (8-8-35) and taking the match 25-13.

Dennis registered a match high 17 kills. Harlee Kekauoha earned a double-double of 12 kills and 13 digs as did UCI setter Shelly Anderson who had 32 assists and 12 digs. Carol Grasso posted her third consecutive double-double with a team high 15 kills and a team high 18 digs. Marina Sanches would end the night with 13 kills. CSUB setter Fabiana Andrade would record a double-double of 32 assists and 11 digs.

“I thought the only set in which we played well was the first one,” said CSUB director of volleyball Giovana Melo. “We need to get back to focusing on the little things. When we don't do the little things well, we will not be successful.”

Day two of the tournament began with Northern Arizona defeating UC Irvine 3-2 (25-22, 24-26, 25-20, 21-25, 15-12). NAU's Lauren Jacobsen led all players with 27 kills. She completed the double-double with 14 digs. Lumberjacks' setter Jensen Barton posted 53 assists, eight digs, and seven kills. Addy Lofstedet added 11 kills for Northern Arizona. UCI had three players with double-digit kills, led by Victoria Dennis who charted 19. Kekauoha posted 14 while Danielle Geiger had 12. The Anteaters' setter, Shelly Anderson, dished out 60 assists.

In match two of the day, UC Riverside edged San Francisco 3-2 (22-25, 25-19, 25-14, 20-25, 19-17). Four Highlanders posted double-digit kills with Brooke Callahan's serving as the team high with 15. Setter Chelsea Doyle tallied a double-double of 50 assists and 16 digs. Cristina Maietta also turned in a double-double of 13 kills and 16 digs. Tyna Adamcikova's double-double of 22 kills and 17 digs paced the Dons. Emily Reed also had a double-double as she put up 21 kills and 13 digs.

In match three, San Francisco was swept by Northern Arizona. The Lumberjacks hit. 429 as a team while Jacobsen hit .515 for the match (19-2-33). Reed's 10 kills were a team high for USF.

Northern Arizona would become tournament champions with a 3-0 record. Lauren Jacobsen would be named tournament MVP for the Lumberjacks. Sanches was the CSUB representative on the All-Tournament team.

The Roadrunners open Western Athletic Conference play Friday night when CSUB hosts Grand Canyon at 7 p.m.

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