Assistant Sports Editor

For most, a trip to Hawaii means time for vacation and no worries about work. For the CSU Bakersfield beach volleyball team, it had to worry about work.

Competing in the Big West Championships in Honolulu, Hawaii, the Roadrunners entered the double elimination tournament as the No. 5 seed.

Facing the No. 4 seed CSU Northridge, whom the Roadrunners lost three consecutive matches 2-3, the Roadrunners finally won when it mattered and defeated CSUN, 3-2.

“Today was our best day. The girls left their hearts on the courts and I couldn’t be happier for them,” said Head Coach Cesar Benatti.

In the second round, CSUB ran into the No. 1 seeded University of Hawaii who swept CSUB, 5-0. No CSUB team scored more then 11 points in the first sets of the respective matches against
Hawaii. With the tournament being double elimination, the Roadrunners had another shot and stayed alive by beating the No. 6 seeded Sacramento State, 3-2. CSUB top three pairs secured the win and kept its hopes for a title alive for at least one more night.

The following morning, the Roadrunners faced No. 2 seeded Cal Poly and were swept, 5-0. This ended CSUB’s run for a title. They finished fourth overall.

On Sunday, April 29, the Big West tournament held the pairs tournament with the top 16 teams in the conference played a single elimination style tournament.

CSUB finished with the record of 8-18 on the year and fourth place in the Big West.

Photo by Johnathan Wheatley/ The Runner