CHICO – The 2011 season has certainly opened on a positive note for the Chico State volleyball team – the Wildcats have won eight of their first 10 matches, have won four in a row twice, and are in the thick of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) title hunt. Now Cody Hein’s squad, fresh off a 3-0 homestand, will once again be put to the test when it hits the road this weekend to face two nationally-ranked opponents that are a combined 17-0 on the season. No. 3 Cal State San Bernardino will host the ’Cats Friday night at Coussoulis Arena, followed by a Saturday night showdown in La Jolla against No. 10 UC San Diego. Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m.

Chico State should provide a challenge to both the Coyotes and Tritons – besides being 8-2 on the season, the Wildcats currently occupy fourth place in the CCAA standings with a 3-1 conference mark. The ’Cats downed Simpson College, San Francisco State and Cal Poly Pomona last week to extend their current winning streak to four straight.

Chico State not only ranks high in the conference standings, it enters the weekend ranked among the CCAA leaders in several statistical categories. The Wildcats are third as a team in hitting percentage (.240), fourth in assists (12.38 a set) and sixth in digs (15.41 per set). Individually, Sable Villaescusa is the conference’s top setter, averaging 10.52 assists a set; Makenzie Snyder ranks seventh in the CCAA in kills (3.38 a set) and eighth in points per set (3.85); Jessica Leek is eighth in the conference in hitting percentage (.319), ninth in points (3.72 a set) and 10th in kills (3.11 per set). Jacqueline Johnson ranks sixth in the CCAA with a .325 hitting percentage.

Cal State San Bernadino, coming off an NCAA West Region championship in 2010 and looking for its sixth consecutive conference crown, enters Friday’s match with the Wildcats sporting a 9-0 overall record and is tied for second place in the CCAA with a 4-0 mark. Last weekend the Coyotes defeated Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State L.A. before sweeping Cal Baptist Wednesday in a non-conference match. To say San Bernardino is tough to beat at home is putting it mildly – heading into the weekend, the Coyotes have won 52 consecutive matches at Coussoulis Arena dating back to 2007.

Cal State San Bernardino as a team leads the CCAA in hitting percentage (.312), is second in the conference in kills (13.72 a set) and assists (12.86 per set), and ranks third in the conference in blocks (2.28 a set). The Coyotes are led by All-American and 2010 National Player of the Year Samantha Middleborn – the senior middle blocker leads the CCAA in hitting percentage (.439) and blocks (1.54 a set), while ranking fifth in the conference in points (4.50 a set) and ninth in kills (3.21 per set). Senior outside hitter Priscilla Collings is averaging 2.59 kills a set and is seventh in the CCAA in hitting percentage (.321), while junior setter Camille Smith ranks second in the conference with a 10.12 assists-per-set average.

The Coyotes swept the Wildcats in both meetings last year, with San Bernardino leading the all-time series 32-2. The last time a Chico State team has beaten the Coyotes in volleyball was back in 1995.

UC San Diego, Chico State’s Saturday night opponent, is also enjoying a successful start in 2011. The Tritons improved to 8-0 overall and 4-0 in the CCAA thanks to victories over Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State L.A. last weekend. They are currently tied with Cal State San Bernardino for second place in the CCAA standings, trailing conference leader Sonoma State by just a half game.

As a team, UC San Diego leads the CCAA in both kills (14.37 a set) and assists (13.30), ranks second in the conference in digs (19.48 per set), and is fifth in hitting percentage (.223) and blocks (1.96). Senior Hillary Williamson is the CCAA’s top hitter, averaging 4.44 kills a set; she is second in the conference in points per set (5.06). Senior libero Janessa Werhane ranks second in the CCAA in digs (5.16 a set), while junior middle blocker Julia Freidenberg is ninth in the conference in blocks (0.87).

The Tritons and Wildcats split their two matches last season, with Chico State scoring a big five-set victory Sept. 24 at Acker Gym. UC San Diego has won 20 of 24 matches with the ’Cats all-time, and has not lost to Chico State at home since 2006.

Fan can follow both of the Wildcats’ weekend matches online via Live Stats. CLICK HERE to go directly to the CCAA Live State page.