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SophiaHladyniukNE009
Nick Ellis

Beach Volleyball

CSUB Opens Big West Challenge with 1-2 Day

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Opening the first half of the Big West Challenge with three matches in the sand at Rosie's Dog Beach, the CSU Bakersfield beach volleyball team went 1-2 against league foes on Friday. The Roadrunners downed Sacramento State Friday morning before falling against No. 9 Hawai'i and UC Davis in the afternoon.

The annual Big West Challenge is a great tune-up meet for the league's seven teams. The `Runners, who share more than half of their roster with the CSUB indoor volleyball team, battled hard against nationally ranked Hawai'i and UC Davis, which bested Hawai'i 3-2 earlier in the action.

"We had a fairly good day," said Cesar Benatti, CSUB's Head Coach. "We made some positive changes, but we still need to be more consistent to play the teams that have Beach-only rosters and that practice in the sand year-round, which is the case for Hawai'i and UC Davis. Seeing the big picture, we are getting better as a team, which is the main goal. We look forward to playing again tomorrow."

Bakersfield opened the day with a steady victory over a short-handed Sacramento State squad. The only team point the `Runners dropped in the 4-1 victory was a tight, three-set match by the No. 2s.

In CSUB's second match of the Challenge, the `Runners fell to ninth-ranked Hawai'i by a score of 4-1. Friday's match marks the second-straight meeting in which Bakersfield earned a team point against the Rainbow Wahine, a feat CSUB had not accomplished against the perennial power since 2014. Sophia Hladyniuk and Hana Makonova, the `Runner Threes, took that win from Hawai'i while going 2-1 on the day.

UC Davis is a surging team that handed Hawai'i a 3-2 win on Friday morning. The Aggies went 2-1 on the day including a 5-0 sweep against the `Runners.

Bakersfield's No. 1 pairing of Milica Vukobrat and Cameron Solberg continued moving up the `Runner all-time list for career victories. Pairing exclusively together for the third-straight season, the duo each boast 33 career wins, which is tied with former `Runner great Molly O'Hagan for third in CSUB history.

CSUB 4, Sacramento State 1

1s. Cameron Solberg & Milica Vukobrat (CSUB) def. Macey Hayden & Kalani Hayes (SAC) – 21-17, 21-16
2s. Bridgette Smith & Caitlin Volkmann (SAC) def. Brooke Boiseau & Anna Unke (CSUB) –21-23, 21-15, 15-10
3s. Hana Makonova & Sophia Hladyniuk(CSUB) def. Ashtin Olin & Tiya Kamba-Griffin (SAC)– 19-21, 21-14, 15-4
4s. Seleisa Elisaia & Alaina Gendale (CSUB) def. Caty Cordano & Karlee Soderberg (SAC) – 21-15, 21-19
5s. Paige Calvin & Hayley McCluskey (CSUB) def. Sacramento State – forfeit

CSUB 1, #9 Hawai'i 4

1s. Brooke Van Sickle & Kaylee Glagau (UH) def. Cameron Solberg & Milica Vukobrat (CSUB) – 21-18, 21-18
2s. Anna Maidment & Sofia Russo (UH) def. Brooke Boiseau & Anna Unke (CSUB) – 21-8, 21-17
3s. Hana Makonova & Sophia Hladyniuk (CSUB) def. Sarah Penner & Kylin Loker (UH) – 21-8, 17-21, 15-10
4s. Riley Wagoner & Ilihia Huddleston (UH) def. Seleisa Elisaia & Alaina Gendale (CSUB) – 21-14, 21-15
5s. Lea Kruse & Megan Widener (UH) def. Paige Calvin & Hayley McCluskey (CSUB) – 22-20, 21-16

CSUB 0, UC Davis 5

1s. Chelsea Maeglin & Colleen McGuire (UCD) def. Cameron Solberg & Milica Vukobrat (CSUB) 21-19, 21-11
2s. Sam Lazenby & Morgan Coolbaugh (UCD) def. Anna Unke & Brooke Boiseau (CSUB) 21-9, 21-18
3s. Ashlee Goycoochea & Megan Luly (UCD) def. Sophia Hladyniuk & Hana Makonova (CSUB) 21-11, 21-18
4s. Tabitha Mitchell & Kylie Miller (UCD) def. Alaina Gendale & Seleisa Elisaia (CSUB) 21-17, 21-15
5s. Mia Olen & Madelin Smith (UCD) def. Paige Calvin & Hayley McCluskey (CSUB) 21-17, 21-14

Tomorrow

CSUB (7-5) will return to Rosie's Dog Beach on Saturday to close out the Big West Challenge with three more matches. The `Runners will face off against No. 12 Cal Poly (9:30 a.m. PT), No. 15 Long Beach State (1:15 p.m.), and CSUN (2:30 p.m.) in Long Beach before returning home.

~GoRunners.com~
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Players Mentioned

Brooke Boiseau

#2 Brooke Boiseau

6' 1"
Sophomore
Seleisa Elisaia

#1 Seleisa Elisaia

5' 11"
Freshman
Cameron Solberg

#3 Cameron Solberg

5' 8"
Freshman
Hana Makonova

#22 Hana Makonova

5' 10"
Freshman
Hayley McCluskey

#23 Hayley McCluskey

6' 0"
Freshman
Milica Vukobrat

#25 Milica Vukobrat

6' 0"
Freshman
Alaina Gendale

#4 Alaina Gendale

5' 8"
Junior
Anna Unke

#12 Anna Unke

5' 4"
Junior
Paige Calvin

#13 Paige Calvin

5' 7"
Junior
Sophia Hladyniuk

#11 Sophia Hladyniuk

5' 10"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Brooke Boiseau

#2 Brooke Boiseau

6' 1"
Sophomore
Seleisa Elisaia

#1 Seleisa Elisaia

5' 11"
Freshman
Cameron Solberg

#3 Cameron Solberg

5' 8"
Freshman
Hana Makonova

#22 Hana Makonova

5' 10"
Freshman
Hayley McCluskey

#23 Hayley McCluskey

6' 0"
Freshman
Milica Vukobrat

#25 Milica Vukobrat

6' 0"
Freshman
Alaina Gendale

#4 Alaina Gendale

5' 8"
Junior
Anna Unke

#12 Anna Unke

5' 4"
Junior
Paige Calvin

#13 Paige Calvin

5' 7"
Junior
Sophia Hladyniuk

#11 Sophia Hladyniuk

5' 10"
Freshman
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