BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Chicago State volleyball opened the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunner Invitational Friday with a pair of losses at CSUB's Icardo Center. The Cougars opened the tournament with a 3-0 (14-25, 15-25, 12-25) loss to the host Roadrunners (5-5) before dropping their second contest of the trip in three sets (5-25, 12-25, 16-25) to Pac-10 Conference member Arizona (6-1).
CSUB were led by three players that recorded six or more kills in the first match, led by freshmen Alysia Baker and Lindy DeGeare with seven kills, respectively. Senior Sarah Warner posted a match-best .857 hitting percentage thanks to six kills on seven errorless attacks, junior Barbie Thistle recorded 18 assists and senior Mystie McNaughton tallied a match-high 17 digs. DeGeare and junior Kayla Williamson each produced a match-best five service aces for the Roadrunners.
The Cougars were led by sophomore Hope Lockett (St. Paul, MN/Central) (St. Paul, Minn.) as she tied for match-best honors with seven kills. Junior Niena Posey (Chicago, IL/Lincoln College) (Chicago, Ill.) notched a .417 hitting clip (5-0-12) for the match, while sophomore Hanya Minta (Eden Prairie, MN/Eden Prairie) (Eden Prairie, Minn.) nearly tallied a double-double with 11 assists and nine digs. Freshman Mazvita Maziveyi (Harare, Zimbabwe/Hillside (NC)) (Durham, N.C.) led CSU with three blocks that included two solo stuffs.
In the second match, Arizona produced a blistering .421 hitting percentage, led by sophomore Stephanie Snow with nine kills and four blocks in addition to freshman Dana Hutchinson's seven kills. Redshirt sophomore Whitney Dosty and freshman Courtney Karst each added six kills, while sophomore Paige Weber notched a match-high 34 assists and three service aces.
Redshirt junior Shamara Clark (Bloomington, IN/South) (Bloomington, Ind.) led CSU with five kills. Minta and junior Chy Crichton (The Dalles, OR/Mt. Hood CC) (The Dalles, Ore.) recorded seven assists and three kills, respectively, while Minta also produced six digs.
The Cougars face Fresno State in the first meeting between both schools in the final match of the Roadrunner Invitational later this evening at 6:30 p.m.
~CSU~
