In a thrilling battle to the end, the Bakersfield College volleyball team edged Santa Monica College 23-25, 25-13, 16-25, 25-16, 15-13 on Friday night at the Gil Bishop Sports Center.

The Renegades fought back twice from losing a set to even things up before winning a drama-filled fifth set in front of a raucous home crowd.

The win lifts BC to 8-4 overall and 4-0 in Western State-South play.

Defense played a huge role in the victory. Kamryn Briggs and Haley Tedrow did a stellar job at the middle of the net neutralizing the Corsair's big hitters, while Kya Jones, Aubree Dees, and Alexandria Johnson played excellent defense on the back row, combining for 56 digs.

No. 22 Corsairs registered a .178 hitting percentage as BC ended their three-match winning streak.

The BC offensive attack was well-rounded. Five different players had 6 kills or more.

Freshman outside hitter Brianna Bowyer matched her season-high in kills with 16. Dees also tied her season-best kill mark with 12.

The versatile Dees contributed to the Renegades' cause in numerous ways. The sophomore setter from Tehachapi High School had a match-high 28 assists.

The Renegades will be back in action next on Wednesday at 6 p.m. with a WSC-South matchup against Antelope Valley College at the Gil Bishop Sports Center.