Just Like Old Times

Glendora, CA -- On Wednesday night, the Citrus College Volleyball team looked just like the team of old times when they took on State #11 Bakersfield College. The Owls looked like the team that started off the season, not the one that's struggled over the last three weeks, as they upset the Renegades in four sets 25-22, 25-15, 14-25, and 25-21.

The Owls started out slow as Bakersfield scored four of the first five points of the match, three of which came on service aces. Citrus settled down shortly thereafter though and slowly chipped away at the Renegade lead. Citrus would take their first lead 10-9 after a service ace from sophomore Kiyhanna Dade, but Bakersfield used a 6-2 run to go back up 15-12.

Citrus kept it close though and took the lead for good late in the set. Freshman Danielle Hundley would tie the game up at 21-21, an attack error by the Renegades and a block by freshman Cassandra Freitag and sophomore Kimberly Nevarez put the Owls up 23-21. Bakersfield cut it back to one with a kill, but a kill by Freitag and another Renegade error gave Citrus the first set 25-22.

In the second set, Citrus again stumbled out the gate as Bakersfield took an early 5-2 lead. The Owls quickly back on track though thanks to a kill from Nevarez and another big assist block from Nevarez and Freitag. A few points later, the Owls were comfortably in control after a kill by sophomore Ana Bui and a solo block from sophomore Kayla Eddings. The Owls never trailed from that point forward.

In the third set oddly enough, it was Citrus who took an early lead. The Renegades quickly erased that though and went up 6-4. The closest the Owls would get late would by 9-13 after a kill by Bui, but the Renegades scored 12 of the next 17 points to take home the third set win.

That brought about the fourth and final set. Despite losing some steam in the third set, the Owls came out swinging in the fourth. The Owls quickly staked themselves to a 11-5 lead that was paced by a total team effort. The Renegades would rally midway through, pulling to within three at 12-15, but a kill by Hundley, kick started a small run, in which she killed the ball twice more and put the Owls up 20-13. Bakersfield put a scare in Citrus late, but ultimately the Owls held strong.

In the win, Citrus was led by Hundley's match high 20 kills. Eddings and Freitag both added seven, while Freitag had a hand in six blocks. Sophomore setter Amanda Stone handed out 36 assists, and led the Owls in digs with 18. With the win, Citrus improves to 9-7 overall and 3-2 in WSC South play.