Editor-in-Chief
After coming off one of its better hitting performances against the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, the CSU Bakersfield volleyball struggled to get any consistent points against New Mexico State University as they lost 3-1 (23-25, 13-25, 25-16 and 25-18) in a Western Athletic Conference match at the Icardo Center on Oct. 10.
CSUB (5-12, 3-2 WAC) struggled with a .260 hitting percentage, while the Aggies finished with a .418 hitting percentage.
CSUB’s Director of Volleyball Giovana Melo said the reason why the team struggled hitting the ball against NMSU (15-5, 5-0 WAC) was because they didn’t pass the ball well and serve the ball well, which made it easier for the Aggies.
Senior outside hitter Edithza Urias, who had a team-high with 19 kills and two aces, said that the team played a little inconsistent.
“I think we were a little up and down,” Urias said. “At parts, we were playing great as one and when we broke down, I thought we just got a little scattered. I thought we did OK, but I think we can do better. I feel we just need to work more on being a team and one force.”
After losing a close first set 25-23, CSUB struggled in the second set only scoring 13 points and finishing with a low hitting percentage of .069.
Urias said it was because they let NMSU play their game and didn’t really focus on their game.
However, the Roadrunners responded in the third set taking a 20-9 lead at one point and eventually winning that set 25-16.
“If we would have played with that fire the entire, I think the game would have been different,” Melo said.
Melo said she asked the team to play with a little bit more passion and to play the way they know how to play and not the way they played the first two sets.
Urias added that before the third set the team took a moment and thought of what they had to do as a team to rally back.
The Roadrunners took back some momentum into the fourth set, but the Aggies bounced back. The fourth set was close early on as CSUB was only down 10-9 to NMSU. However, the Aggies outscored the Roadrunners for the remainder of the set 15-9.
Senior middle blocker Gwen Murphy led the Aggies in kills with 15 and freshman setter Brianna Ainsworth led them in assists with 34. Senior setter Luiza Martins had a big day for the Roadrunners with 43 assists.
Martins said for the Roadrunners to get back to their winning ways they need to bring the energy up and utilize their middle hitters a lot more.
CSUB is scheduled to play at Chicago State on Oct. 15.
