CSUN Leaves Message in Volleyball Victory

The Cal State Northridge women’s volleyball team won a test of wills Friday night against Cal State Bakersfield. It also won a match that should serve notice to other California Collegiate Athletic Assn. opponents.

Like so many of the teams that Walt Ker has coached in his 11 seasons at Northridge, the Lady Matadors are playing their best volleyball as the second half of conference play begins. Northridge, on the brink of allowing Bakersfield to extend the match to five games, rallied from a 13-7 deficit in the fourth game to win, 15-11, 8-15, 15-5, 18-16, at CSUN.

The Lady Matadors, ranked seventh in the National Collegiate Athletic Assn.’s Division II coaches’ poll, improved to 16-9 overall, 4-3 in conference play. The victory was Northridge’s 52nd in a row in CCAA matches played at home.

Bakersfield, which had swept Northridge in an earlier conference meeting, is 10-11, 3-3.

“They beat us last time with mental toughness,” said Northridge hitter Keira Middleton, who had 14 kills. “Tonight, we stayed in every rally.

“Even when we were down in the fourth game, we just took it one point at a time. We’re slowly moving toward where we want to be, but we’re getting there.”

Behind Middleton and junior middle blocker Kathleen Dixon, who had a match-high 15 kills, Northridge showed resiliency in the pivotal fourth game. With the score 16-16, the Lady Matadors put the match away on a block by Connie Noe and an ace by Dixon.