Box Score ARCATA – The Chico State volleyball team successfully opened up the second half of the conference season Thursday, and snapped a two-match losing streak in the process. The Wildcats had their hands full with a hungry Humboldt State squad, but an 8-0 run in the third set provided the momentum the ’Cats needed to ultimately post a 25-17, 21-25, 26-24, 25-17 victory at Lumberjack Arena in Arcata.
Thursday’s win moves Chico State to 13-6 overall and 7-5 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Humboldt State was saddled with its 14th straight loss to fall to 2-17 on the season and 0-12 in conference play.
Alex Shurtz led the Wildcat attack with 18 kills, while Lindsay Quigley and Hannah Wilkins hammered home 10 and nine winners, respectively. Sable Villaescusa distributed 38 assists and contributed 10 digs, while Emily Duran had a team-high 14 digs and three service aces. As a team, the ’Cats posted a .234 hitting percentage on the night.
Chico State opened the evening’s action by snapping a 2-2 tie with an 8-3 run to go up 10-5 early in the first set – a Duran service ace and kills by Shurtz, Wilkins and Katie Morley leading the way. Two aces by Jessica Simms and kills by Morley, Quigley and Wilkins stretched the advantage to 24-15, and the Wildcats cruised to the 25-17 victory.
Set number two was a tightly played affair early on, featuring five ties and a pair of lead changes. With the score nine-all, kills by Villaescusa, Quigley and Shurtz gave Chico State a 14-11 lead, but Humboldt State responded by scoring seven of the next eight points to go up 18-15. The Wildcats battled back to knot up the contest at 20-all, only to see the Lumberjacks regain the lead with four straight points and roll to a 25-21 win to even the match.
Kills by Morley, Quigley and Wilkins helped the Wildcats bolt to a 7-4 lead in the third set. Humboldt State tied the score at 8-8, but a pair of kills by Shurtz put Chico State back on top, 12-11. The Lumberjacks proceeded to reel off eight unanswered points to open up a 19-12 lead. Now forced to play catch-up, the ’Cats went on a huge 8-0 run – highlighted by an Ellie Larronde solo block and kills by Quigley, Wilkins and Morley – to take a 20-19 lead. Two Shurtz kills made it a 24-22 contest, but Humboldt was able to survive two set points before a Lumberjack error and a Shurtz kill gave the Wildcats the hard-fought 26-24 victory.
Chico State used Duran and Quigley aces plus kills by Villaescusa and Shurtz to jump out to a 6-2 lead in the third set. Humboldt State continued to scrap, catching the ’Cats at nine-all. Two kills apiece by Wilkins and Shurtz promptly put the Wildcats back on top at 14-10, and on the strength of aces by Duran and Quigley, kills by Shurtz, Larronde and Villaescusa and a Villaescusa/Quigley block, the ’Cats would not relinquish the lead. Duran delivered the kill that gave Chico State the 25-17 win to take the match.
The Wildcats will take Friday off before returning to action Saturday in southern California against Cal Poly Pomona. The match gets underway at 7 p.m.; you can follow the action online via Live Stats.
CLICK HERE for Live Stats for Saturday's Chico State-Cal Poly Pomona match
