Bakersfield Pulls Out WAC Match 3-1 Over Chicago State Volleyball

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Despite three Cougars finishing with double-digit kills, the Chicago State volleyball team lost 3-1 (25-20, 25-21, 22-25, 25-20) at Bakersfield on Thursday (Oct. 3) in a Western Athletic Conference match. The tightly contested match had 32 ties and 17 lead changes.
 
Much like the Cougars' last match, Sunday against Kansas City, Chicago State played their opponent tight for the majority of each set. In the first Chicago State trailed 19-18 when the Roadrunners finished the frame on a 6-2 run to win the set. Set two was tied at 18 before Bakersfield closed the set by scoring seven of the next 10 points.
 
Set three appeared to be heading the same way. Bakersfield led 19-17 and was inching toward a sweep. Then the Cougars rallied back with four straight points. Junior Mia Townsell (Gardnerville, Nev./Douglas) had an ace to put the Cougars up 21-19. Senior Rachel Levitt (Willow Springs, Ill./Lyons Township) recorded kills for points 23 and 24 before a Bakersfield attack error ended the set.
 
The Cougars stayed hot in the fourth, holding leads of 6-1 and 10-5 before the Roadrunners came back to win the set and clinch the match.
 
Levitt and senior Paula Sioto (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Instituto Educacional Raphael Di Santo) each had 12 kills. Junior Valeria Desiderio (Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom) added a double-double of 15 digs and 10 kills. Townsell finished with 12 digs. Chicago State out-hit Bakersfield .203 to .180. The Roadrunners made up for the deficit by recording eight aces to the Cougars' one.
 
Bakersfield improves to 9-8 (2-2 WAC) while the Cougars fall to 2-15 (0-3 WAC). Chicago State continues WAC play on Saturday at Utah Valley.