CHICO – In its final pre-conference season tune-up, the Chico State volleyball team played its 2010 home opener against William Jessup University, and though the visiting Warriors have yet to win a match this year, they made the Wildcats work for a hard fought four-set victory, 25-18, 17-25, 25-17, 25-15 Tuesday night at Acker Gymnasium.
The victory pushed the ’Cats to 4-1 on the season, while William Jessup dropped to 0-9. Crystal Trifeletti led the Chico State offense Tuesday with 13 kills and a sizzling .722 hitting percentage; Jacqueline Johnson added 10 kills, while Sable Villaescusa piled up 32 assists on the night. Makenzie Fahnestock and Jessica Simms topped the Wildcats with 12 digs apiece. William Jessup was paced by Cameo Lommori and Geanna Foster, who each had seven kills; Morgan Saunders led the Warriors with six assists.
William Jessup took an early 7-5 lead in the match’s opening set, but Chico State responded with a 15-4 run, as Johnson blasted three kills, with Trifeletti and Jordan Bambas notching two kills each. The Warriors made a late run, but Fahnestock delivered the set-clinching kill to give the Wildcats a 25-18 win.
The tables turned convincingly in the second set, as William Jessup streaked to a 10-2 lead and never looked back, posting a 25-17 victory. The Wildcats regrouped in the third set, snapping a 3-3 tie by scoring 18 of the next 26 points, powered by four Trifeletti kills to go up 21-11; Chico State held off the Warriors down the stretch to record a 25-17 victory.
The Wildcats never trailed in the fourth and final set, using three straight service aces by Fahnestock and a pair of Johnson kills to build an early 10-3 advantage, and William Jessup could get no closer than six points the rest of the way. Bambas, Trifeletti, Villaescusa, Johnson and Jessica Leek all registered kills in the late going, with Trifeletti providing the set and match winner as Chico State prevailed by a final score of 25-15.
BOX SCORE vs. William Jessup University
Chico State opens up California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play this weekend, as it heads to southern California to take on Cal State L.A. Friday and Cal State Dominguez Hills Saturday. Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m.
