CHICO – After jumping out to a quick 7-2 start on the season, the Chico State volleyball team has hit a decidedly rough patch, falling in three sets during back-to-back home matches against Sonoma State and Cal State Stanislaus. While there’s still plenty of time for Head Coach Cody Hein’s squad to right the ship and get back in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) race, the Wildcats will be facing some of the conference’s top teams in the next few weeks, including their upcoming homestand opponents UC San Diego on Friday and Cal State East Bay Saturday. Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m. at Acker Gym.
Chico State enters the weekend 7-4 on the year, but has slipped into a tie for seventh place with UC San Diego and San Francisco State in the CCAA standings with a 2-3 conference mark.
Statistically, the Wildcats continue to rank among the conference leaders in hitting percentage (.236) and fifth in service aces (averaging 1.95 a set). Individually, Crystal Trifeletti’s .355 hitting percentage is fourth in the CCAA, while Jessica Leek is seventh in the conference in hitting percentage (.338). Makenzie Fahnestock has connected for 19 service aces and ranks sixth in the CCAA, averaging 0.51 aces per set. Sable Villaescusa is eighth in the conference is assists (averaging 9.08 per set), while Jessica Simms rounds out the conference’s Top 10 in digs, averaging 3.42 a set.
UC San Diego, Chico State’s Friday opponent, has been one of the CCAA’s perennial volleyball powerhouses, but is going through a bit of a transition under first year Head Coach Ricci Luyties. One season removed from a 29-3 record and a trip to the NCAA Pacific Regional semifinals, the Tritons come to Chico 5-4 on the season and a game below .500 in conference play. Though still strong enough to be ranked No. 21 in the nation, UC San Diego has lost three straight entering the weekend, albeit all were tough five-set losses to Cal State East Bay, Cal State Monterey Bay and San Francisco State.
The Tritons may be languishing in the middle of the conference standings, but the talented team is first in the CCAA in kills (13.56 a set), assists (12.86 per set) and digs (18.22 a set), while ranking fourth in the conference in hitting percentage (.218) and blocks (1.94 a set). UC San Diego possesses several offensive threats, featuring five players with at least 60 kills on the season. Junior Roxanne Brunsting leads the group with 90 kills and ranks 10th in the CCAA with a 3.10 kills-per-set average. Senior Kaitlin Potter is third in the conference, sporting a .362 hitting percentage, while junior Thalia McCann tops the CCAA in assists (averaging 10.67 per set) and senior Audrey Green is the conference’s number one blocker, averaging 1.14 rejects a set.
In head-to-head match-ups, UC San Diego has dominated Chico State, winning 19 of 22 meetings all-time. The Wildcats dropped both matches with the Tritons last season.
Cal State East Bay, which visits Acker Gym Saturday, is suddenly one of the top teams in the CCAA. The Pioneers are 8-2 on the year entering this weekend’s action, and are tied with Cal State Stanislaus for fourth place in the conference with a 3-2 record. Cal State East Bay, 10-21 in 2009 in its maiden CCAA season, reeled off eight straight victories to open the 2010 campaign, but dropped two straight matches last weekend to San Francisco State and Cal State Monterey Bay.
The Pioneers have produced some impressive numbers in their first 10 matches, ranking second in the CCAA in assists (averaging 12.76 per set) and third in kills (13.26 a set) and hitting percentage (.228). Freshman Katie Allen is one of the top hitters in the conference – her 3.38 kills-per-set average is sixth best in the conference. Sophomore Brianna Bryant is eighth in the CCAA in hitting percentage (.335), while senior Lauren Massa tops the conference in digs, averaging 5.24 a set.
Chico State holds the edge over Cal State East Bay in the all-time series, winning 23 of 29 meetings. The Wildcats and Pioneers split their two 2009 matches; Cal State East Bay’s three-set victory Sept. 26 in Hayward eventually cost the ’Cats when Chico State missed out on an NCAA postseason berth.
Fans unable to get 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.
