All season long, the Chico State volleyball team’s offensive attack has been fueled by the stellar play of setter Sable Villaescusa. The sophomore from Rancho Cucamonga was at the top of her game over the weekend, collecting 85 assists as well as contributing 14 digs, three kills and a block assist in the Wildcats’ road matches versus Cal State East Bay and UC San Diego. Villaescusa’s all-around performance has made her the Wildcat of the Week for the second time this fall.
Friday against Cal State East Bay, Villaescusa piled up a match-high 57 assists while posting seven digs and two kills as the Wildcats fought back from two sets down to nearly upset the host Pioneers. Saturday, UC San Diego downed the ’Cats in three sets, but not before Villaescusa served up another 28 assists to go along with seven digs, one kill and one block assist in the losing effort.
Villaescusa, with 927 assists for the season, currently ranks third in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with an average of 9.76 assists per set. With four matches left on the year, she’s a good bet to log her second straight 1,000-assist season. For her career, Villaescusa has 2,122 assists, placing her fifth all-time in Wildcat history.
Chico State returns to Acker Gym for the final home matches of the regular season. The Wildcats host Cal Poly Pomona on Friday, then on Saturday battle CCAA leader Cal State San Bernardino. Both matches are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
