CHICO – The California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) season is approaching the halfway mark, and the Chico State volleyball team currently finds itself looking up at eight teams with better conference records. Things of late have not gone well for the Wildcats, but with 13 games left on the CCAA schedule, there is still plenty of time for the team to reverse its’ fortunes. This weekend the ’Cats are home to host San Francisco State on Friday and No. 24 Cal State Monterey Bay Saturday. Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m. at Acker Gym.
Chico State enters the weekend action with an 8-7 season record, but are just 3-6 in the CCAA and tied for ninth place in the conference standings. The Wildcats have dropped three straight decisions and five of their last six matches, including losses last weekend to Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona. Saturday’s loss to the Broncos was particularly painful, as the ’Cats won the first two sets but would ultimately fall in five to a Pomona team that was 4-9 on the year entering the match.
Despite its recent struggles, Chico State as a team still ranks third in the CCAA in hitting percentage (.225), sixth in digs (averaging 14.25 per set) and seventh in kills (12.33 a set). The Wildcats are also seventh in the conference in service aces (1.68 per set) and eighth in assists (11.25 a set).
Individually, Sable Villaescusa is ranked fourth among CCAA setters, averaging 9.66 assists a set. Crystal Trifeletti is seventh in the conference in hitting percentage (.329), while Makenzie Fahnestock is tied for seventh in service aces (averaging 0.41 per set) and Jessica Simms is eighth in digs (3.33 a set). Jessica Leek continues to be the Wildcats’ top point producer – her 3.32 points-per-set average is 10th best in the CCAA.
San Francisco State, Chico State’s Friday night opponent, sports an 8-6 season record and sits in sixth place in the CCAA with a 5-4 conference mark. The Gators, who reached the NCAA Pacific Regionals in 2009, have won three of their last four matches; last weekend San Francisco State was swept by Sonoma State before rebounding Saturday to top Humboldt State in four sets. The Gators have scuffled outside their home gym so far this season, with five of the team’s six losses coming on the road.
Statistically, San Francisco State ranks second in the CCAA in digs (averaging 16.58 per set), and is fourth in the conference in kills (12.78 a set) and assists (12.13 per set). Sophomore OH Lauren Walsh leads the CCAA with 202 kills, is fourth in kills-per-set (3.67) and fifth in points (3.90 a set). San Francisco State also boasts the conference’s top setter – sophomore Iris Tolenada leads the CCAA with an average of 10.49 kills a set –and junior libero/DS Sarah Kurfess is No. 1 in the conference in digs, averaging 5.08 per set.
Chico State leads the all-time series with San Francisco State, winning 31 of 45 meetings. The Wildcats took both matches last year, and have posted 11 straight victories over the Gators dating back to 2001.
Cal State Monterey Bay, who meets the Wildcats Saturday following a Friday match against Cal State Stanislaus, has improved significantly since finishing 13-19 a year ago. The Otters enter the weekend 10-2 on the season and occupy sole possession of second place in the CCAA with a 7-2 conference mark. Monterey Bay has won seven of its last eight matches; last weekend the Otters beat Humboldt State in five sets before having their seven match winning streak snapped Saturday by Sonoma State.
As a team, Cal State Monterey Bay leads the CCAA in blocks (averaging 2.16 a set) and service aces (2.24 a set), while ranking fourth in digs (14.96 per set). Junior OH Rheann Fall is the Otters’ top offensive weapon, leading the conference in kills-per-set (4.27) and is tied with teammate Dionna Lucas for the conference lead in service aces (0.58 a set); Lucas, a junior DS, is also ninth in the CCAA in digs (3.31 per set). Junior MB Tiffaney Riggs is tops in the conference in blocks (1.16 a set), while junior MB Melanie Lashbrook ranks fourth in the CCAA in hitting percentage (.352) and eighth in blocks (0.80 per set). Sophomore setter Monique Sena is eighth in the conference in assists, averaging 8.64 a set.
Chico State beat Monterey Bay in a pair of exciting five-set victories last year; all-time, the Wildcats have won 12 of 13 meetings with the Otters. Monterey Bay’s lone victory against the ’Cats was a five-set win back on Nov. 3, 2007.
Fans unable to make it to Acker Gym can follow the action of both Chico State matches via Live Stats, available on the Wildcat Athletics website. Friday and Saturday’s contests will also be broadcast live on the Internet on UStream, with former Chico State great Gillian Heydorff providing color commentary.
CLICK HERE to be connected to the Wildcats’ Internet broadcast.
