Box Score CARSON – While the Chico State volleyball team has played sub-.500 ball against nationally and regionally ranked teams this season, the Wildcats have done a good job of handling teams they're expected to beat. Such was not the case, however, on Friday's front end of the 'Cats' final road trip of the 2013 campaign. Chico State was outplayed by a suddenly-resurgent Cal State Dominguez Hills squad, losing in three sets to the Toros 18-25, 23-25, 21-25.
Friday's loss snapped Chico State's three-match winning streak and evened the Wildcats' season record at 13-13. The 'Cats also slipped into a fifth place tie with Cal State L.A. for fifth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with a 10-9 conference mark. Cal State Dominguez Hills won its second match in three days to improve to 10-17 overall and 3-16 in CCAA play.
Lindsay Quigley led the Wildcats with 11 kills on the night while adding a pair of blocks. Ellie Larronde registered 10 kills, with Alex Shurtz adding eight winners. Kristyn Casalino posted five kills and six blocks, while Torey Thompson doled out 35 assists. Emily Duran paced the 'Cats with 11 digs in the losing effort.
Cal State Dominguez Hills opened the first set by jumping out to a 6-1 lead, but the Wildcats – thanks to a kill and solo block by Larronde and kills by Quigley and Shurtz – responded with an 8-3 run to tie the contest up at nine apiece. The Toros scored five unanswered points to go back on top, and though three times the 'Cats trimmed the deficit to four, the Toros would not relinquish the lead and rolled to a 25-18 win.
The two teams split the first 12 points of the second set before a combo block by Casalino and Natalie Nordahl gave Chico State a 7-6 lead. The contest stayed close until the Wildcats broke a 13-all tie with a 5-2 mini-run – highlighted by a Duran service ace, two kills by Casalino and a Nordahl/Casalino block. The 'Cats were able to make the lead stand up, as two late Shurtz kills made the score 23-21 – but ultimately Chico State would come up short. Dominguez Hills staged a furious rally, using three kills and a block to reel off four straight points and steal a 25-23 victory to go up two sets to none.
Now with their backs to the wall, the Wildcats rode kills by Quigley and Larronde and a Casalino/Thompson block to an early 5-3 lead in the third set. Dominguez Hills immediately answered with a 7-2 run to go up 10-7. Chico State twice came back to tie the score, only to have the Toros surge back on top 17-13. Once more the Wildcats were forced to rally – Shurtz delivered an ace, Larronde a kill and a Nordahl/Casalino combo block fueled a 6-1 run to put Chico State in front 19-18. But it was not to be the 'Cats' night – with the score knotted up at 20 apiece, Dominguez Hills tallied five of the final six points to win the set 25-21 and sweep the match.
The Wildcats play their final road match of the regular season Saturday night when they visit the Eagles Nest to take on Cal State L.A. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
