Creighton University
4-4
CSU Bakersfield
1-8
Volleyball Tops Roadrunners, 3-1
9/12/2015 1:43:00 PM | Volleyball
OMAHA, Neb. - Powered by 18 kills from freshman Jaali Winters, the Creighton volleyball team defeated CSU Bakersfield 3-1 (25-9, 25-18, 17-25, 25-15) on Saturday, Sept. 12 in the second match for each team in the Bluejay Invitational.
The win moved the Bluejays to 4-4 on the season, while Cal State Bakersfield fell to 1-8. The first match played on Saturday saw Pacific defeat Lipscomb, 3-0. Creighton will meet Pacific (7-1) for the Bluejay Invitational crown on Saturday night at 7:30 pm.
Just like Friday night in a 3-0 win over Lipscomb, Creighton never trailed in the first set. Winters began her big day with eight kills on .500 hitting. CU raced to a 6-1 lead and extended the margin to double-figures at 15-5 on Winters' fifth kill of the contest. Fellow freshman Taryn Kloth checked in late in the set and had a block before later serving out the final five points of the 25-9 victory.
The Bluejays took a 2-0 lead into intermission after a 25-18 win in the second set. Kloth had a block, followed by two kills to give CU a 20-14 lead. Ashley Jansen would serve up an ace on set point as CU captured the game.
CSU Bakersfield won its first set of the weekend, answering the intermission bell with a 25-17 win. Leading 14-13, the Roadrunners embarked on a 10-3 run to stun the hosts and get back in the match. The defending WAC champions hit .367 in the set, including six kills by Kelsee Sawyer.
Creighton got back on track in the fourth set, breaking free from an 8-8 tie with five consecutive points on Jansen's serve. Lauren Smith and Kenzie Crawford teamed up for blocks on the final two points of the 25-15 victory to clinch the match. Crawford also dished 17 assists in the final frame as CU hit .357 with 19 kills and added 24 digs.
Winters had 18 kills and hit .424 on the afternoon -- both season highs -- while Crawford notched a double-double with 47 assists and 10 digs. Jess Bird finished with 13 kills and eight digs on .333 hitting, while Marysa Wilkinson (11 kills, five blocks, .474 hitting) and Smith (10 kills, five blocks) also posted double-figures in kills. Creighton finished with 59 kills, six aces, 65 digs and 10 blocks on .336 hitting.
CSU Bakersfield was led by 17 kills by Sawyer, who hit .316. Edithza Urias had 10 kills off the bench and Jocelyn Rodriguez finished with a team-best 17 digs. The Roadrunners had 43 kills, two aces, 51 digs and eight blocks on .174 hitting.
Lipscomb will battle CSU Bakersfield at 5:30 pm in a battle for third place prior to tonight's 7:30 pm championship match between Pacific and Creighton.
NOTES: Melanie Jereb became the 13th player in Creighton history to reach 1,000 or more career digs, finishing with six digs on the afternoon and 1,002 overall ... Creighton has won three matches in a row, dropping just one set in that span ... CSU Bakersfield is the third different team that Creighton has beaten that was in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, joining Kentucky and Lipscomb.
