With four weeks remaining in the regular season, the Chico State volleyball team has positioned itself well for a berth in next month's California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament. The Wildcats face a challenging stretch to the finish line, however, as all but one of their opponents in the season's final eight matches are in the thick of the postseason hunt. The 'Cats will definitely be put to the test this weekend, traveling to Southern California to take on UC San Diego Friday and No. 22 Cal State San Bernardino on Saturday. Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m.
Fans can follow the action for both matches online via Live Stats, available through the Wildcat Athletics website. Live streaming video will also be available for Friday's UC San Diego contest.
Chico State enters the weekend 16-6 on the year and in third place in the CCAA with an 8-4 conference record. The Wildcats have won two straight and five of their last seven matches, including a road sweep of Cal State San Marcos last Saturday.
The Wildcats have fashioned an impressive 12-4 record on the road this season.
The 'Cats as a team continue to lead the CCAA in kills (1,101), assists (1,025), service aces (124) and digs (1,429).
Individually, several Chico State players are ranked among the conference's top 10 producers in several statistical categories:
-- Olivia Mediano is second in the CCAA in kills (296), third in points (329.5) and points per set (4.3), and fourth in kills per set (3.84).
-- Torey Thompson tops the conference in assists (849) and is third in assists per set (10.75).
-- Shannon Cotton is second in the CCAA in digs (366) and sixth in digs per set (4.63).
-- Jacki Kreymborg is seventh in the conference with 24 service aces on the season.
-- Ashton Kershner ranks sixth in the CCAA with a .315 hitting percentage.
-- Hannah Wilkins is seventh in the conference in hitting percentage (.310).
-- Anna Baytosh is tied for seventh in the CCAA with nine solo blocks.
UC San Diego is 11-9 overall and tied for fifth with Cal Poly Pomona and San Francisco State in the CCAA with a 7-5 conference record. After dropping three straight to open October, the Tritons have won three of their last four, including a pair of victories last week against Pomona and Cal State Monterey Bay. UC San Diego is 3-3 this season on its home floor, RIMAC Arena.
UC San Diego is led by junior outside hitter/middle blocker Meagan Wright (293 kills) and senior outside hitter Danielle Dahle (257 kills), both ranked in the CCAA top 10. Senior middle blocker/opposite Kameron Cooper has also contributed 197 kills, while senior setter Heidi Sierks is second in the conference in assists per set (10.78).
The Wildcats and Tritons split their two meetings in 2014, with each team winning at home. Chico State has not beaten UC San Diego in RIMAC Arena since 2011, and the Tritons hold a 25-7 lead in the all-time series.
Cal State San Bernardino enters the weekend 17-3 overall and in second place in the CCAA with a 10-2 conference record. The Coyotes go into their Friday night match with Stanislaus State having won six straight (including road victories last week over Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Monterey Bay) and 10 of the last 11 to maintain the team's national top 25 ranking while moving to within a half-game of first place Sonoma State in the CCAA standings. San Bernardino is 8-1 this season on its home floor, Coussoulis Arena.
Heading up the Coyotes' offense are two First Team All-CCAA picks from a year ago, senior outside hitter Alexandra Torline (251 kills in 2015) and senior middle blocker Brenna McIntosh (206 kills). Freshman setter Jayann DeHoog leads the conference in assists per set (10.93).
San Bernardino, which holds a 40-2 advantage in the all-time series with the Wildcats, took both meetings last season, and Saturday will attempt to beat Chico State for the 40th straight time dating back to 1996. The last time the 'Cats prevailed over the Coyotes was in September, 1995 at Coussoulis Arena.
