CHICO – The Chico State volleyball team knew it had to finish the 2011 season strong and be the beneficiaries of some good old-fashioned Lady Luck to nab a berth in the NCAA Championship Tournament. The Wildcats, ranked No. 9 in the West Region, got both over the weekend with wins over Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills, and with No. 8 Alaska-Anchorage falling Saturday to Western Oregon, the ’Cats’ chances of extending their season increased dramatically. But despite the tide seemingly turning in Chico State’s favor, it still wasn’t enough to earn a trip to the postseason, as the ’Cats learned Sunday night they were not among the field of 64 teams vying for the Division II national championship.

As a result, the 2011 Chico State volleyball season comes to a close, with the Wildcats finishing 19-9 overall – a five-win improvement from the year before – and in fourth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association with a 12-8 conference mark. It marks the second time in three years that the Wildcats have played well enough to reach the NCAA Championship Tournament, only to be denied.

Cal State San Bernardino, the No. 1 ranked team in the nation and coming off its sixth consecutive CCAA title, will host the West Regional beginning Thursday night at Coussoulis Arena. The 27-0 Coyotes will take on 18-8 Alaska-Anchorage, with the winner facing either No. 4 BYU-Hawaii (18-3) or No. 5 Seattle Pacific (21-6) in Friday’s regional semifinals. The other half of the West Region bracket includes No. 2 UC San Diego (21-5) vs. No. 7 Grand Canyon (22-6) and No. 3 Sonoma State (21-6) vs. No. 6 Hawaii-Hilo (15-6).