Box Score CHICO – The rally towels were waving with authority in Acker Gym during the first set of Friday’s Chico State-Cal State San Bernardino volleyball match. The next three sets…not so much. The California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA)-leading Coyotes did a little rallying of their own, coming back from the first set loss to take three straight and down the Wildcats 25-20, 12-25, 13-25, 14-25.
Friday’s loss – Chico State’s third straight and eighth in the last 12 matches – dropped the Wildcats to 14-9 on the season and 8-8 in CCAA play. Cal State San Bernardino, vying for its seventh straight CCAA crown, improved to 17-7 overall and remained in sole possession of first place in the conference standings with a 14-2 record.
Alex Shurtz provided nearly all of the Wildcats’ offense Friday, hammering home a match-high 19 kills to go along with 10 digs, two service aces and a solo block. Sable Villaescusa handed out 28 assists, while Jessica Simms led all players with 21 digs in addition to delivering a pair of service aces.
The first set gave hope for Chico State to snap a 34-match losing streak to Cal State San Bernardino, as the ’Cats fought back from an early 8-4 deficit with a 7-3 run to tie the contest at 11-apiece. After falling behind again, the Wildcats rode four straight Shurtz kills to a 15-13 lead. The two teams locked up again at 16-all, but Chico State took the lead for good on a San Bernardino error and a Shurtz ace. With the score 21-20, the Wildcats ripped off the final four points to take the opening set 25-20.
The Coyotes and ’Cats split the first eight points of the second set before San Bernardino seized the momentum with a 14-5 run to go up 18-9. Following a Shurtz kill, the Coyotes reeled off six unanswered points to essentially put the set away, ultimately winning by a final score of 25-12.
Two early kills by Shurtz and one by Villaescusa gave Chico State a short-lived lead in the third set, but San Bernardino scored the next three points to go out in front, and the Wildcats played catch-up the rest of the way. The Coyotes pushed their advantage to 20-9, and despite another Shurtz kill and three late San Bernardino errors, the Coyotes rolled to the 25-13 victory.
Chico State jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the fourth set courtesy of an ace by Simms and two Shurtz kills, and the Wildcats were still in front 5-2 before San Bernardino once again took firm control of the proceedings. The Coyotes went on a 15-2 run to build a 17-7 lead, and the ’Cats could get no closer than nine the rest of the way, as San Bernardino wrapped up the 25-14 victory to take the match and sweep the season series.
The Wildcats are back in action Saturday, hosting UC San Diego at Acker Gym. The No. 24 Tritons (18-6, 13-3 CCAA) won their seventh straight match Friday with a three-set sweep over Cal State Stanislaus.
