Volleyball Upsets #3 Bakersfield

Glendora, CA (Volleyball) -- In what may go down as the biggest win to date for the Owls under Head Coach Shin Jung, the Citrus College Volleyball team knocked off the #3 team in the State of California in four sets on Friday night. In the process Citrus also picked up their first WSC South win of 2012 beating Bakersfield College 22-25, 27-25, 25-22, and 25-19.

Things didn't start off so well for the Owls on Friday. Citrus would take a 22-20 lead in the first set, but the Owls committed four attack errors and a set error in the final five points to lose the first game 25-20. The tough start looked like it might carry over into the second set as well, when Citrus fell into a 16-12 hole midway through.

That's when things began to turn around for the Owls. After a timeout by Jung, the Owls went on a 8-3 run culminating in a block from sophomore's Chelsea Martinez and Kimberly Collins that gave Citrus a 20-19 lead. Over the final portion of the game, the score would be tied five times and the lead change hands four times.

On the third time, another bad set saw Citrus trailing 25-24. The Owls rallied taking advantage of a pair of errors by Bakersfield and a kill from sophomore Alexis Lunney for the set point as they won 27-25.

In the third set, Citrus kept the momentum rolling, taking a 15-11 lead midway through. Bakersfield would pull to within one late at 20-19, but the Owls got blocks from Lunney and freshman Kayla Eddings along with a pair of kills from Eddings and another from Martinez that gave Citrus the 25-22 win.

Once the fourth set came around, Citrus was in control of the match. Bakersfield would keep it close though, tying the set up as late as 17-17. The Owls put it away after that, scoring eight of the final ten points and getting an exclamation point when Martinez pounded home the final ball that made it 25-19 and gave the Owls the upset.

In the win, Citrus was led by Eddings who had a team high 11 kills and five blocks (two solo, three assisted), and committed just one error on 21 attempts. Martinez added 10 kills, two blocks (one solo, one assisted), one ace, and 14 digs.

Freshman setter Amanda Stone had a match high 37 assists and also led the Owls with 17 digs on the night. Collins rounded out the superlatives with seven kills and five blocks all assisted. In handing Bakersfield the loss, it was the first loss for Bakersfield to any other team besides CCCAA State #1 and undefeated LA Pierce.

With the win, Citrus improves to 7-5 overall and 1-2 in conference play. The Owls will be on the road on Wednesday for a non-conference match. Citrus will take on Santa Barbara City College in Santa Barbara at 7:00 PM.