Isaac Comelli, CSUB Athletic Communications

Beach Volleyball March 19, 2022

`Runners Stumble in Malibu, Drop Pair of Matches

MALIBU, Calif. – Facing a pair of tough opponents int he team's first matches of the season on the road, the CSU Bakersfield beach volleyball team dropped both of its matches on Saturday. The Roadrunners fell to No. 18 Pepperdine, 5-0, before losing to Concordia Irvine by a 4-1 score.

"It was a tough day," said Cesar Benatti, Bakersfield's Head Coach. "We definitely had an off day today. We did not come out very prepared and that's my responsibility, to get them with the right mindset to play their first road games. We didn't control the ball well. Our passes and sets were very inconsistent and that led to an inconsistent offense as well."

Benatti talked about the team's gameplan for learning and moving forward: "After the games, we talked about having more urgency when we go on the road. We have to get our minds prepared to play in an environment we are not used to. We talked about playing hard every single moment, every single rally, so we can get into a better rhythm in an unfamiliar environment."

Bakersfield contested multiple close matches including four of ten that went to the tiebreaker set on Saturday. CSUB's top pairing of Cameron Solberg and Milica Vukobrat earned the team's lone win of the day, coming from behind to beat Concordia Irvine in the third set. Hayley McCluskey and Paige Calvin also picked up an exhibition win against the Eagles as the sixth pair.

Playing together for the third-straight season, Saturday's victory is Vukobrat's and Solberg's 30th career win. The partners are tied with each other for fourth all-time among CSUB's leaders in career victories and just two wins behind former `Runner Molly O'Hagan.

CSUB 0, #18 Pepperdine 5

1s. Melanie Paul & Madison Shields (PEPP) def. Cameron Solberg & Milica Vukobrat (CSUB) – 21-18, 21-18
2s. Simone Priebe & McKenna Thomas (PEPP) def. Sophia Hladyniuk & Hana Makonova (CSUB) – 16-21, 21-12, 15-10
3s. Mary Sinclair & Kate Clermont (PEPP) def. Brooke Boiseau & Anna Unke (CSUB) – 21-10, 21-17
4s. Peyton Lewis & Juju Quintero (PEPP) def. Alaina Gendale & Seleisa Elisaia (CSUB) – 21-15, 21-14
5s. Rio Frohoff & Cameron Baklenko (PEPP) def. Hayley McCluskey & Paige Calvin (CSUB) – 21-13, 21-17
Exh. Savana Green & Jordan Benoit (PEPP) def. Caroline Benke & Megan Gilbert (CSUB) – 21-19, 21-6
Order of Finish: 4, 2, 5*, 3, 1

CSUB 1, Concordia 4

1s. Cameron Solberg & Milica Vukobrat (CSUB) def. Hannah Phair & Vanessa Bernzen (CUI) – 18-20, 21-16, 15-10
2s. Hailee Ryan & Sara Ostojic (CUI) def. Sophia Hladyniuk & Hana Makonova (CSUB) – 22-24, 21-19, 15-6
3s. Tatum Smith & Shannon Evans (CUI) def. Brooke Boiseau & Anna Unke (CSUB) – 21-11, 21-12
4s. Eva Prewitt & Isabella Bush (CUI) def. Alaina Gendale & Seleisa Elisaia (CSUB) - 20-22, 21-18, 15-10
5s. Lauren Clifton & Nicole Miller (CUI) def. Caroline Benke & Megan Gilbert (CSUB) – 21-19, 21-16
Exh. Hayley McCluskey & Paige Calvin (CSUB) def. Delaney DeCinces & Sydney Marshall (CUI) - 21-13, 21-15
Order of Finish: 2, 4, 5*, 3, 1

Next Week

CSUB (6-3) will have little time to prepare for its next set of matches as the `Runners are headed back out on the road on Tuesday, Mar. 22. Bakersfield will head to Los Angeles to take on the second-ranked team in the country, USC, as well as Houston Baptist in a tri-dual hosted by the Trojans.

~GoRunners.com~

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Players Mentioned

#2 Brooke Boiseau: 6' 1"; Sophomore

#1 Seleisa Elisaia: 5' 11"; Freshman

#3 Cameron Solberg: 5' 8"; Freshman

#22 Hana Makonova: 5' 10"; Freshman

#23 Hayley McCluskey: 6' 0"; Freshman

#25 Milica Vukobrat: 6' 0"; Freshman

#4 Alaina Gendale: 5' 8"; Junior

#15 Megan Gilbert: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman

#12 Anna Unke: 5' 4"; Junior

#7 Caroline Benke: 5' 7"; Redshirt Junior

#13 Paige Calvin: 5' 7"; Junior

#11 Sophia Hladyniuk: 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#2 Brooke Boiseau
: 6' 1"; Sophomore

#1 Seleisa Elisaia
: 5' 11"; Freshman

#3 Cameron Solberg
: 5' 8"; Freshman

#22 Hana Makonova
: 5' 10"; Freshman

#23 Hayley McCluskey
: 6' 0"; Freshman

#25 Milica Vukobrat
: 6' 0"; Freshman

#4 Alaina Gendale
: 5' 8"; Junior

#15 Megan Gilbert
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman

#12 Anna Unke
: 5' 4"; Junior

#7 Caroline Benke
: 5' 7"; Redshirt Junior

#13 Paige Calvin
: 5' 7"; Junior

#11 Sophia Hladyniuk
: 5' 10"; Freshman

California State University at Bakersfield Athletics

Next Event

`Runners Stumble in Malibu, Drop Pair of Matches

Players Mentioned

#2 Brooke Boiseau

#1 Seleisa Elisaia

#3 Cameron Solberg

#22 Hana Makonova

#23 Hayley McCluskey

#25 Milica Vukobrat

#4 Alaina Gendale

#15 Megan Gilbert

#12 Anna Unke

#7 Caroline Benke

#13 Paige Calvin

#11 Sophia Hladyniuk

Players Mentioned

#2 Brooke Boiseau

#1 Seleisa Elisaia

#3 Cameron Solberg

#22 Hana Makonova

#23 Hayley McCluskey

#25 Milica Vukobrat

#4 Alaina Gendale

#15 Megan Gilbert

#12 Anna Unke

#7 Caroline Benke

#13 Paige Calvin

#11 Sophia Hladyniuk