CHICO – The Chico State volleyball team was just one point away from completing a hard-fought comeback against a determined Humboldt State squad Friday, but the Lumberjacks – losers of four straight and nine of their last 11 coming into play – were not about to let a two-sets-to-one lead slip away. Down 14-11 in the fifth and deciding set, Humboldt rallied to stave off three match points to start a stunning 5-0 run and down the No. 23-ranked ’Cats 25-17, 25-27, 21-25, 25-23, 14-16 at Acker Gym.
The loss – Chico State’s first at home this season – snapped a six-match winning streak and dropped the Wildcats to 14-4 on the season and 9-3 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Humboldt State picked up just its second road victory of the year to improve to 6-10 overall and 3-9 in CCAA play.
Even in defeat, the Wildcats posted a respectable .237 hitting percentage, but they struggled all night to take command of the match as the Lumberjacks battled back time and time again. Jessica Leek delivered an impressive double-double, racking up a career-high 25 kills to go along with 23 digs; Makenzie Snyder added 16 kills, with Jacqueline Johnson and Alex Shurtz recording 14 and 12 kills, respectively. Sable Villaescusa doled out 68 assists – just two off her career best – while Lauren Orozco kept the ball alive with a team-high 26 digs. Alexa Rosendale and Oceana Matsubu combined for 39 kills for the victorious Lumberjacks.
The night began with Chico State taking the first set, 25-17, and though the Wildcats led practically from start to finish, they weren’t as dominating as the score would indicate. Thanks in part to several service errors by the ’Cats, the Lumberjacks hung around, whittling the deficit to two at 14-12. Chico State ultimately held off the challenge, using kills by Johnson, Shurtz and Villaescusa to spark a 5-1 run at the finish to give the Wildcats the victory.
The second set was more of a tightly-played affair, with neither team leading by more than three until Chico State went up 22-18 on kills by Johnson, Snyder and Shurtz. The Wildcats were ahead 24-22 and poised to make it two straight, but this time Humboldt State was able to tie things up; then down 25-24, the Lumberjacks struck for three points – two coming on Chico State errors – to knot up the match with a come-from-behind 27-25 victory.
The third set saw Humboldt State come from behind again, erasing a 14-10 Wildcat lead and tying things up at 17-all. The ’Cats briefly regained the lead, going up 18-17, but the Lumberjacks used kills by Rosendale and Matsubu to score eight of the set’s last 11 points and come away with the 25-21 win.
Now with its back to the wall, Chico State played more aggressively in the fourth set. With freshman Ellie Larronde providing a spark off the bench, the Wildcats quickly built an 8-3 lead and were leading by a comfortable 19-13 margin when Humboldt State went on a 9-4 run to pull to within 23-22. This time the ’Cats dodged the bullet – kills by Shurtz and Johnson provided the winning points in Chico State’s 25-23 victory, forcing a fifth and deciding set.
Despite three ties, the Wildcats never trailed early in the fifth set. With the score deadlocked at seven, Chico State used three Leek kills and four Humboldt State errors to go up 14-11. One point from victory, the Wildcats simply could not put the Lumberjacks away, as two kills by Rosendale and one by Ashley Neale knotted the set at 14 apiece. The stunned ’Cats proceeded to shoot themselves in the foot, committing two straight attack errors, giving Humboldt the 16-14 win and the match.
BOX SCORE
Chico State has precious little time to regroup, as the Sonoma State Seawolves (14-3, 11-1 CCAA) comes to Acker Gym Saturday. The match is slated to start at 7 p.m.; fans who can’t make it in person can follow the action on
Livestats via the Wildcat Athletics website.
