CHICO – Everyone knows that volleyball is a team game. But every once in awhile one person can just take over a match, and use that dominant play to not only put up big numbers, but spark the rest of the squad to perform at a high level. Such was the case Saturday for Chico State opposite hitter Jessica Leek – she was literally unstoppable in every facet of the game against Cal State East Bay, pounding out a season-high 18 kills, delivering four service aces, collecting a half-dozen digs and assisting on four blocks. Her Wildcat teammates couldn’t help but follow Leek’s lead, handing the visiting Pioneers a convincing 25-16, 25-21, 26-24 defeat at Acker Gym.
The victory – Chico State’s fourth straight – runs the Wildcats’ season record to 12-3 and moves the ’Cats into third place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings with a 7-2 conference mark. With Saturday’s loss, Cal State East Bay slips to 9-4 on the year and 5-4 in CCAA play.
Alex Shurtz joined Leek as the only other player to post double-digit kills, hammering home 10 winners on the night as the Wildcats posted an impressive .299 hitting percentage for the match. Makenzie Snyder had a team-high 11 digs and added seven kills for the ’Cats, moving her past Julie Sprague and into sixth place on Chico State career kills list. Jacqueline Johnson registered six kills and had a hand in five blocks, while setter Sable Villaescusa doled out 42 assists for the victorious Wildcats.
Chico State came out with guns blazing in the first set, producing 17 kills en route to a lusty .577 hitting percentage. The Wildcats used an 11-3 run to snap an eight-all tie and take control of the set – Leek notched a kill and a pair of aces; Shurtz bombed three kills and Snyder added two non-returnables as Chico State streaked to a 19-11 lead. Cal State East Bay crept back to within four points at 21-16, but the Wildcats finished things off with kills from Leek, Shurtz and Lindsay Quigley to lock down the 25-16 win.
It was more of the same in the second set. With Chico State up 7-6, the ’Cats scored 14 of the next 20 points – highlighted by multiple kills by Snyder, Shurtz and Leek – to take a commanding 21-12 lead. To their credit, the Pioneers refused to roll over, answering back with eight straight winners to pull to within one. The Wildcats were able to regroup in time, using two East Bay errors and kills by Snyder and Leek to pull out the 25-21 victory.
Chico State again jumped out to an early lead in the third set – with four Leek kills leading the attack, the Wildcats went up 14-9. East Bay slowly but surely chipped away at the deficit, catching the ’Cats at 16-all and minutes later going out in front 20-18. The Pioneers still led 24-23 when the Wildcats once again turned to Leek to close things out – the junior delivered a kill to stave off set point, then followed it up with back-to-back aces to give Chico State the 26-24 victory and complete the match sweep.
BOX SCORE
The Wildcats are on the road next weekend, heading down to southern California to take on Cal State Dominguez Hills Friday and Cal State L.A. on Saturday. Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m.
