`Runners Win WAC Tournament And Advance To NCAA Tournament

Box Score EDINBURG, Texas – After pulling the upset on Friday night in the semifinals over Western Athletic Conference Champion New Mexico State, the CSU Bakersfield volleyball team was looking for back to back upsets and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament with a victory over tournament host and second seeded UTRGV.

The first set was back and forth early, but after an Aleksandra Djordjevic kill, UTRGV had to take the first timeout of the match with the `Runners taking a 10-6 lead. UTRGV made a run and the match was tied at 13. It remained tied at 15, 16 and 17. `Runners won two points in a row and then UTRGV answered to make it 19 all. Tied at 20. 21. Just incredible and an amazing atmosphere at UTRGV. 22-22. Djordjevic made it 23-23 with a kill. UTRGV made it 24-24 fighting off a CSUB set point. Tied at 25, this time CSUB fending off a UTRGV set point. UTRGV would get a kill from Dubravka Vukoja to take the first set 27-25.

After the first set, CSUB Senior Sydney Haynes led the `Runners in kills with four and senior Emily Lopes led the `Runners in digs with three. Sophomore Sidney Wicks led CSUB with six assists.

UTRGV went on an early 4-1 run to take a 5-2 lead to start the second set and CSUB took a timeout to try to stop that momentum. UTRGV would jump out front 9-4, but CSUB would go on a 3-0 run to cut the lead to 9-7 and UTRGV took a timeout. `Runners fought all the way back and went on a 6-1 run to tie the match at 10. And the run of back and forth started at 10-10. The set was tied at 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. Two teams playing like they know what is on the line. And they do. The `Runners go on a 4-0 run to force UTRGV to use their final timeout of the set and CSUB led 18-15. The run continued to 6-0 before UTRGV could stop it and CSUB led 20-16. `Runners trailed 15-14, but finished the set on an 11-3 run to tie the match at one with a 25-18 second set victory.

Haynes DOMINATED the second set. She had nine kills, NINE, in the second set alone to lead all players with 13 kills through two sets. Wicks had ten assists in the second set and led CSUB with 16 after two. Djordjevic has had double doubles in the first two rounds of the WAC tournament and the senior had four kills and seven digs through two.

The `Runners doubled up UTRGV early in the third set by taking an 8-4 lead. CSUB would take an 11-6 lead and UTRGV would call their first timeout of the set. The `Runners would take a 17-8 lead and at that point CSUB had won 28 of the last 39 points since the middle of the second set, when they trailed 15-14. But the host's would go on a 6-0 run to cut CSUB's lead to 17-14. UTRGV would continue their run and it was a 12-3 run to tie the set at 20-20. Then, of course, 21-21. 22 all. `Runners made it 24-22, but UTRGV would win two in a row to make it 24 all and fend off two set points. 25-25, 26-26, 27 all. Unbelievable volleyball from both teams. The `Runners fight off UTRGV set point and tie it at 28 and CSUB would win the next two points to win the third set 30-28.

Djordjevic gets the set winning kill and after three gets her third consecutive double-double of the tournament. 10 digs and 11 kills. Lopes, who did not make the first or second All WAC Conference team, had 15 digs through three sets and the senior is now fifth all time in WAC history for digs in a season.

The fourth set, as expected, was back and forth and was tied every time all the way to 7-7. UTRGV would take a timeout with the `Runners taking a 13-11 lead. CSUB would go on a 4-1 run and force UTRGV to take their final timeout with the `Runners leading 17-12. `Runners took a 20-14 lead, but back to back UTRGV points and CSUB would take a timeout with a 20-16 lead and five points away from the NCAA tournament. The `Runners would go on and win the WAC tournament with a 25-18 victory in the fourth set and earn the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The `Runners won three consecutive sets to win the Championship, 25-27, 25-18, 30-28, 25-18.

CSUB was led by Haynes 19 kills, Djordjevic ends the match with 14 kills and 12 digs and Lopes had 19 digs. Djordjevic was voted WAC tournament Most Valuable Player and deservedly so.

Giovana Melo, CSUB's Director of Volleyball received a Gatorade bath right before being interviewed. After drying off, Melo was asked what it meant to her and the girls. Melo said, "I'm seriously out of words. The girls have fought so much throughout the whole year and it means everything. It means a lot to me because of them."

The crowd of 1,634 fans at the championship match is a UTRGV record for a volleyball match and those fans were treated to an instant classic.

The `Runners will watch the NCAA tournament selection show to see where they play in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. on ESPNU.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Aleksandra Djordjevic: OH; 6' 0"; Senior

#13 Sydney Haynes: MB; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior

#3 Emily Lopes: L; 5' 7"; Senior

#8 Sidney Wicks: S; 5' 8"; Redshirt Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#5 Aleksandra Djordjevic
: 6' 0"; Senior
: OH

#13 Sydney Haynes
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior
: MB

#3 Emily Lopes
: 5' 7"; Senior
: L

#8 Sidney Wicks
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Sophomore
: S

California State University at Bakersfield Athletics

Next Event

`Runners Win WAC Tournament And Advance To NCAA Tournament

Players Mentioned

#5 Aleksandra Djordjevic

#13 Sydney Haynes

#3 Emily Lopes

#8 Sidney Wicks

Players Mentioned

#5 Aleksandra Djordjevic

#13 Sydney Haynes

#3 Emily Lopes

#8 Sidney Wicks