Phoenix, AZ – The CSU Bakersfield volleyball team traveled to Grand Canyon on Friday night needing a win to keep their Western Athletic Conference title hopes alive. The `Runners are tied for third place in the WAC, but just sit one game back of UTRGV and two games back of New Mexico State, with three to play.
The `Runners jumped out to an eight to four lead to open up the match and GCU took a timeout after falling behind 13-8. The Lopes cut the `Runners lead to 14-13 after the timeout, but the `Runners would hold on to take the first set 25-22. CSUB was led by Senior
Haylee Roberts five kills and four kills by Senior
Sydney Haynes. Senior
Fabiana Andrade had eight assists to lead all players.
The `Runners jumped out to another early lead to start the second set and this time CSUB led eight to three after just 11 points. And once again, GCU would cut into the `Runners lead, and in fact, the Lopes would take the lead. The Lopes went on a nine to zero run to take a 14-11 lead and extended it to a 22-18 lead. But the `Runners battled and battled and battled. CSUB would end the second set on a five zero run to win the second set 25-23. Roberts continued to lead CSUB in kills with 10 and Andrade in assists with 16 through two sets.
The third set opened with the Lopes taking an early six to one lead forcing CSUB to take an early timeout. GCU would extend the lead to 13-2 and the Lopes would not give up the big lead this time. The `Runners did make a game of it at one point, going on a six to one run to make it 21-14, but GCU would go on to win the third set 25-17 and force a fourth set.
CSUB would get back to what they did in the first two sets, jumping out to early leads. This time, the `Runners would get out to a nine to one lead and it is a lead CSUB would never relinquish. The `Runners would force GCU to take a timeout after making it 15-5. The `Runners would improve to 15-12 on the season and 8-4 in WAC play with a four set victory. CSUB would win the fourth set 25-17.
CSUB's Director of Volleyball,
Giovana Melo, was happy with her team's effort. "We battled. We played with intensity. It was a completely different team today."
Roberts led CSUB in kills with 18 and
Emily Lopes led the `Runners with 14 digs. The leader in assists for CSUB was Andrade with 26.
The `Runners will finish the regular season with home matches against the top two teams in the WAC. First on Thursday, Nov. 9, CSUB will host UTRGV, before finishing the regular season against WAC leading NM State on Nov. 11.
When Melo was asked about the two opponents remaining and if she thought they were ready, CSUB's Director of Volleyball responded emphatically, "Yes I do! We will get two days off to recoup at a great time and et back to work on Monday for the final week."
