CHICO – The Chico State volleyball team takes a brief break from California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play Wednesday, when it travels to Redding to take on the Red Hawks of Simpson University. The Wildcats’ final non-conference match of the regular season is set to tip off at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Student Life Center on the Simpson campus.
Chico State enters the contest with a 5-2 overall record; the ’Cats are tied for fifth place in the CCAA with a 1-1 conference mark. Cody Hein’s squad is among the conference leaders in several statistical categories – Chico State ranks second in the CCAA in hitting percentage (.255), third in service aces (averaging 2.15 per set), and fourth in kills (13.07 a set).
Individually, Crystal Trifeletti is third in the conference in hitting percentage (.402), while Jessica Leek is fourth in hitting percentage (.378) and ninth in kills, averaging 3.22 per set. In CCAA play, Leek leads the conference with an eye-popping .564 hitting percentage. Sable Villaescusa’s 9.19 assists per set is sixth best in the CCAA, while Makenzie Fahenstock ranks fifth in the conference with 15 service aces (an average of 0.53 a set).
Simpson University, an NAIA school that plays in the California Pacific Conference, has struggled so far this season, taking an 0-11 record into Wednesday's match with the Wildcats. Second year Head Coach Christy Swagerty-Vilas, who guided the Red Hawks to a 6-16 record in 2009, will look to senior middle blocker Kelly Brown (a team-high 67 kills on the season), senior outside hitter and Chico native Micala Drews (62 kills), and junior middle blocker Chanel Coleman to fuel the Simpson offensive attack. Freshman Kelly Tycksen, one of two setters the Red Hawks utilize, has 118 assists on the year.
Wednesday will mark the fifth time Chico State and Simpson have squared off in volleyball since 2006. The Wildcats have won each of the first four meetings, including a three-set sweep last season in Redding. Following the match with the Red Hawks, the ’Cats return to CCAA play, hosting Humboldt State Friday and Sonoma State Saturday at Acker Gym.
Fans can watch the action of Wednesday’s Chico State-Simpson match live on the Internet, with former Chico State great Gillian Heydorff providing color commentary, as the Wildcats continue their full season broadcast schedule on UStream.
CLICK HERE to be connected to the Wildcats’ Internet broadcast.
