California Baptist University
Cal State Northridge
Mat Attack
3/7/2014 4:52:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- Facing the team right ahead of it in the conference standings, California Baptist University came out Thursday night looking to build on its Tuesday win and avenge an earlier Cal State Northridge loss. The Matadors wouldn't allow it, however, taking the match in three-straight sets (25-23, 25-21, 26-24).
CBU falls to 4-13 overall, 2-12 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, while the Matadors improve to 6-10 on the season and 5-9 in conference.
Kristopher Johnson boasted a team-high .769 attack clip off 11 kills, committing just one error on the night. Johannes Brink registered a team-high 12 kills and Amir Lugo-Rodriguez led the Lancers with four blocks.
Despite the Lancers holding a higher attack percentage in the first set—a .458 clip to CSUN's .355—the Matadors came out on front, relying on three more blocks than CBU (5-2).
Down 14-11, Lugo-Rodriguez laid down a kill and then stepped up to serve, sending over the Lancers' first ace of the night, but still the Matadors kept CBU at bay.
Looking to take over the lead, CBU came knocking on CSUN's door as Johnson laid down a kill to even the game at 18-18. Joel Blocksom sent a cross-court kill to tie the game back at 19-19 and then teamed up with Lugo-Rodriguez to deny a CSUN attempt and put CBU in front 20-19.
The Lancers couldn't carry over the momentum through the remaining five points, ending the set 25-23 in favor of the visitors.
CBU couldn't keep its hot hitting in the second, while the Matadors heated up. The Lancers opened the set with a 3-1 run, but soon found themselves trailing 13-11.
CSUN thwarted CBU's attempt to battle back into the game, keeping the home squad at an arm's length for most of the set, despite the Lancers best efforts to take over the lead. The Matadors broke away from CBU at 21-18 and coasted to a 25-21 set victory to put pressure on the home squad to keep the match alive.
Needing a set victory of their own, the Lancers trailed early on but shifted gears when Lugo-Rodriguez paired up with two different teammates to set up a block. Rocky DeLyon and Lugo-Rodriguez first denied a CSUN attempt to even the score at 8-8 and then Lugo-Rodriguez paired with Brink to take the lead.
The Matadors answered back, but Brink laid down back-to-back kills to keep the Lancers in front and force a CSUN timeout.
CSUN battled back into the set, however, tying the game at 23-23 and reached 24 points first. The Lancers evened the set back at 24-24, but the Matadors finished the set with the next two points to take the match 3-0.
The Lancers play their third match in five days on Saturday, heading to No. 3-ranked Long Beach State for a 7 p.m. start time.
