California State University at Northridge
3-0,0-0Big West
California Baptist
1-2,0-0WAC
CSUN Claims Ridge Invitational Title After 3-1 Win Over California Baptist
8/31/2025 4:44:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. — Senior Amaris Smith hammered down 15 kills and junior Julia Bazylevych added 14 as CSUN defeated California Baptist 3-1 (25-15, 18-25, 25-20, 25-16) on Sunday at Premier America Credit Union Arena. The Matadors finish the inaugural Ridge Invitational with a perfect 3-0 record.
The Matadors (3-0) hit .117 as a team and controlled the match with timely blocking, totaling 10.0 team blocks to slow down CBU's attack. Bazylevych finished the day with a match-high 17.5 points after adding career-highs of four blocks and three service aces.
California Baptist (1-2) was led by Emery DeJong, who tallied 10 kills and a team-high 13.5 points, while Filippa Botcher chipped in seven kills and five blocks. Despite out-blocking CSUN 12-10, the Lancers struggled offensively, hitting just .100 for the match.
CSUN set the tone in the opening frame, pulling away late behind a 7-0 run to take it 25-15. The Lancers answered in the second, siding out at 68 percent while DeJong and Olivia Melton combined for six kills to even the match, 25-18.
In the pivotal third set, Smith notched five kills and Bazylevych added four as CSUN held off CBU 25-20. The Matadors then rolled in the fourth, jumping out to a 15-8 lead and never looking back, closing the match with a kill from Hayley Ogden.
Setter Katie Kolar directed the CSUN offense with 37 assists, along with nine digs and one ace. Libero Paige Sentesagain led CSUN defensively with a match-high 23 digs.
NOTES
- Senior opposite Leah Miller was named Ridge Invitational MVP, while Sentes and Iye Okolo were also named to the All-Tournament team.
- The three Matadors were joined on the All-Tournament team by Emery DeJong and Maddie Brown (CBU), Alison Cox and Jayhlin Swain (Pacific) and Jaydin Watts (Idaho State).
- With the win, CSUN improves to 2-1 all-time against the Lancers.
HEAD COACH AQUILES MONTOYA SAID
"My biggest takeaways from this weekend were that we've got a team that really knows how to battle and does really well at home. We're very capable of going to the bench and those players having an impact, we're excited about what we saw from a lot of players producing. Now we're going to have to be resilient and tough over the next month. Luckily, we do have a lot of returners, and our players are a lot more comfortable with each other than maybe they were last year, when many were brand new to CSUN and our staff. We're going to lean on that and them being together."
UP NEXT
The Matadors will open a stretch that will see them play 10 of their next 11 matches away from home as CSUN travels to the Portland Invitational (Sept. 4-6). The Matadors will take on Eastern Washington, Colorado State, and the host Pilots over the three-day tournament.
#GoMatadors
