Reporter
The CSU Bakersfield indoor volleyball team finished its 2014 season with a 16-15 record and won the Western Athletic Conference Tournament. That momentum has carried over to the sand volleyball team as it pulled out a record season.
The Roadrunners finished with a record of 11-7 and a national ranking for the first time.
In the teams’ third season of existence, they reached a 19th national ranking. The 11-7 record is an improvement from last season’s 8-10 record. The sand volleyball team’s 19th national ranking shows everyone that this team is getting better.
“It shows the campus and everyone in the league that we’re a force to be reckoned with,” CSUB coach Olivia Simko said. “This is a step in the right direction for the athletic department.”
At the beginning of last year’s season last January, the team went through a transition. The coach left for another job.
“We felt abandoned,” said senior Mariah Alvidrez.
First time coach Olivia Simko was thrust into her first coaching job.
“Last year I didn’t know the girls as well,” Simko said. “I was focusing on improving their skill.”
In addition to getting used to a new coach, the team had to get used to the differences of sand volleyball compared to indoor volleyball.
“We were still new to the game last year and still figuring things out,” O’ Hagan said. “So this year we just had more experience under our belt and had really great direction and wisdom and knowledge coming from the coaching staff that really made us a well rounded team. That experience of playing with people for longer always helps.”
Simko said there were things happening within the team and things going on in the players’ lives, but they were able to handle it and worked hard in practice. Coach Simko said the team was led by the maturity of the seniors, Molly O’ Hagan Mariah Alvidrez, Danika Youngblood and Eryn Riley.
“They were definitely good examples of hard working,” Simko said.
O’Hagan added that after they won some games their confidence started to build.
“After we started winning some games, we kind of got this feeling that ‘we’re out here, yes we’re Cal State Bakersfield and nobody knows who we are,’” O’ Hagan said. “But we can play ball, and we can compete against the greatest teams.”
The team ended the season splitting two games at the Arizona State University Sand Volleyball Challenge in Tempe, Ariz. on April 11.
However, the season was the team’s best yet, earning a national ranking for the first time, and showing improvement by beating tough teams like New Mexico.
CSUB had lost to New Mexico in conference play twice.
Alvidrez added that it was a good way to end her senior year.
“It was definitely a great note to go out on,” Alvidrez said.
