CHICO – The Chico State volleyball team is back on the road this weekend, but instead of flying to the next destination, the Wildcats will opt for team vans to get them to their upcoming event. After opening the 2013 season last week in Hawaii, the 'Cats finish up the non-conference portion of their schedule closer to home, taking part in the two-day Seawolf Spike Tournament, hosted by Sonoma State.
Chico State will play two matches each day, beginning Friday with an 11:15 a.m. meeting with Montana State-Billings, followed by a 3:45 p.m. clash with No. 12 Western Washington. Saturday the Wildcats take on Dominican at 11:15 a.m. and conclude with a 3:45 p.m. match against last weekend's season-opening opponent, Hawaii Pacific.
Chico State has traditionally enjoyed quite a bit of success at the Seawolf Spike. The Wildcats are 20-4 all-time in the tournament – the highest winning percentage among the 20 teams that have participated in the event. The 'Cats claimed the Seawolf Spike championship in 2006.
The 'Cats enter the Seawolf Spike 1-2 on the young season, but exhibited some consistently good play at last weekend's Hawaii Invitational. Chico State's lone victory, a three-set win over Chaminade, was sandwiched in between losses to Hawaii Pacific and No. 5 BYU-Hawaii. With Saturday's scheduled tilt against the Sea Warriors, the Wildcats get an almost immediate opportunity to even the season score with Hawaii Pacific.
Senior outside hitter Alex Shurtz continues to lead the Chico State offense and ranks third in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) in kills per set (4.45) and 10th in kills (49). Shurtz moved past Makenzie Snyder into fourth place on the Wildcats' career kills list, and with 1,146 kills to her credit, needs just 21 to jump over Stacey Clifton and take over third place all-time.
Outside hitter Ellie Larronde and middle Lindsay Quigley also provided some punch at the net for the 'Cats last weekend, combining for 60 kills at the Hawaii Invitational. Lauren Orozco has 35 digs to pace the 'Cats, while Emily Duran leads the team with six service aces in the first three matches.
Montana State-Billings, Chico State's first Friday opponent, is 1-3 on the year entering the Seawolf Spike. The Yellowjackets beat Cal State Stanislaus in the opener of last weekend's Seaside Classic in San Diego before dropping nine straight sets in losses to Point Loma, Azusa Pacific and Cal State Dominguez Hills. Montana State-Billings finished the 2012 season 11-15 overall, placing seventh in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) with an 8-10 conference mark. Friday marks just the second time the Yellowjackets and Wildcats have met on the court, and first since Chico State scored a three-set victory in 2008.
Western Washington, the favorite to win the GNAC, is off to a 4-0 start on the season, sweeping through last weekend's Western Oregon Invitational. The Vikings, the No. 12 team in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll, went 24-4 last year en route to winning the GNAC title and reaching the semifinals of the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional. Western Washington has won six of nine meetings with Chico State dating back to 1989.
Dominican, which faces the Wildcats in the Saturday morning match, is 1-3 on the season, having lost three of four in last weekend's Otter Classic in Seaside. The Penguins played well, however, falling in tough five-set matches to both San Francisco State and Cal State Monterey Bay. Dominican is trying to improve on last year's 7-18 record and ninth place finish in the Pacific West Conference. Chico State is looking to win its ninth match in as many tries against the Penguins Saturday.
Hawaii Pacific, the 'Cats' final Seawolf Spike opponent, is 4-0 on the year. The Sea Warriors dropped just two sets in racking up season-opening wins against Chico State, Fort Hays State, Lewis (IL) University and Alaska-Fairbanks during the Hawaii Invitational. Hawaii Pacific finished last season 17-8 and tied for fifth in the Pac West with a 10-6 conference record.
All four Chico State matches can be followed online via Live Stats. Friday's meeting with Montana State-Billings and Saturday's showdown with Dominican will also feature live streaming video.
CLICK HERE for Live Stats
CLICK HERE for the official Seawolf Spike Tournament page, which includes a link to live streaming video of Chico State's Montana State-Billings and Dominican matches
The Wildcats open CCAA play next Wednesday with their first home match of the 2013 season, taking on Cal State Stanislaus at 7 p.m. at Acker Gym.
