SAN BERNARDINO - There were a few tears and lots of hugs, but everyone’s head was held high as six Chico State seniors ended their volleyball careers with a 3-0 loss in the NCAA Tournament Pacific Regional semifinal to nationally ranked Cal State San Bernardino tonight in Coussoulis Arena.
The group of six seniors: Erica Brick, Megan Cape, Amy Jones, Lindsay Macias, Abbey Ranzau and Kelly Smiland helped put Chico State volleyball into the national spot light in their four-years of play and the program should reap the benefits for years to come. As sophomores this group grinded it way to Chico State’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 13 years and advanced to the semifinals. Last year the team returned to the NCAA stage and this year was back again and able to upset Sonoma State in the opening round on Thursday.
As the seniors said good-bye, it was true freshman Makenzie Snyder who made a statement for the future. Snyder led the Wildcat offense with 14 kills and hit for the best percentage on the team at .276 in the match.
Macias, Chico State’s career kills leader with 1,475 career kills, had nine tonight and tied Cape and Ranzau with a team-high seven digs. Macias has the second-most digs in school history at 1,133 behind true libero Lacy Stringfellow’s 1,577 (2004-2007).
Brick, as steady as ever as the team’s setter, recorded 32 assists on the Wildcats’ total of 33 kills. Brick ends her career as Chico State’s all-time assists leader, totaling 4,440 in her career, 1,119 more than second-place Christy McCune (1998-01). She also ends with the second most service aces (131) and third most digs (937) in school history.
The Wildcats faced a formidable opponent in the Coyotes (27-3), ranked No. 1 in the region and No. 2 in the nation, and they played like a team not willing to lose on its home court. The big difference came in the hitting efficiency column where San Bernardino hit at a .265 clip, compared to .098 by the Wildcats.
Jessica Granados, the two-time CCAA Player of the Year, led the Coyotes with 16 kills and Jane Chafeh added eight in just 12 attempts. Setter Sara Hoffman ended with a double-double of 26 assists and 10 digs. Kelcie Tolan led all players with 14 digs.
Chico State ends the 2008 campaign with a record of 21-11 overall. The 21 wins this season’s ties Coach Hein’s best effort in his six years as the Wildcats’ leader. His 2006 team also matched the 21-victory plateau with its NCAA Tournament win.
In the opening set, the Wildcats didn’t trail until the Coyotes went ahead 8-7, but they never led after that. Chico cut the deficit to one point at 15-14, but CSUSB went on a 11-4 run to finish the game at 25-19.
In set two, the score was tied at 4-4 before a 5-0 Coyote run, which the Wildcats were never able to answer, resulting in a 25-15 set score. To make matters worse, middle blocker Crystal Trifeletti solidly hit the net standard in the final play, badly hurting knee, and did not play the final set.
Chico hung tougher in the final set, never giving the Coyotes more than a two-point advantage. The score was tied at 19-all, and Chico trailed by one 21-20, but a three-point run set up the 25-21 Coyote win.
In the night’s earlier semifinal, Cal State L.A. almost pulled an identical upset as last night when they knocked off second-seed UC San Diego. Tonight CSLA dropped the opening two sets to Cal Poly Pomona, 25-12 and 25-13, but came back to take the next two 25-17 and 25-19 to force a fifth set. Pomona came out on top 15-13 to advance to the regional final against San Bernardino.
Elizabeth Diaz and Vanessa Williams led the attack for Pomona with 12 kills apiece. CSLA’s Gabriela Bulawczyk led all players with 18 kills.
BOX SCORE - Chico vs. San Bernardino
