LOS ANGELES – Heading into Saturday, Chico State was the lone volleyball team in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) to have already posted double-digit wins on the season and one of just three teams claiming a share of the top spot in the conference standings. One of the other two was Cal State L.A., and in the first head-to-head meeting of the year, the host Golden Eagles continued their current hot streak by sweeping the Wildcats 24-26, 17-25, 20-25 at the Eagles' Nest in Los Angeles.
The loss dropped Chico State to 10-3 overall and 2-1 in CCAA play. Cal State L.A. won its third straight to improve to 10-1 on the year and move into sole possession of first place in the conference standings.
Olivia Mediano was the most productive Wildcat offensively on Saturday, racking up a dozen kills. Anna Baytosh registered eight winners, with Hannah Wilkins adding seven kills and two blocks. Torey Thompson handed out 33 assists and logged a team-high nine digs on the night.
In the first set, Ashton Kershner posted a service ace; Mediano and Wilkins delivered kills and the pair combined for a block to give Chico State an early 5-1 lead. The Wildcats extended their advantage to 11-6, only to see Cal State L.A. go on an 11-3 run to grab a 17-14 lead. The 'Cats fought back to tie the score and had the Golden Eagles on the ropes as back-to-back by Kershner and Wilkins put Chico State in front 24-23. Cal State L.A. answered by surviving set point and posting two more winners to come away with a 26-24 victory.
The Golden Eagles roared out to an 11-3 lead in the second set and never looked back, though the 'Cats used a 10-5 run – fueled by a Kershner/Shannon Boling combo block and kills by Thompson and Wilkins – to creep to within 16-13. Chico State was still down by just three at 19-16 before Cal State L.A. scored six of the final seven points to prevail 25-17.
The third set was a tightly played affair early on, but Cal State L.A. used an 8-3 run to snap a 5-all tie and go out in front 13-8. The Wildcats continued to battle, as kills by Mediano, Wilkins, Boling, Baytosh and Janai Johnson helped Chico State whittle down the deficit to 18-16. That would be as close as the 'Cats would get, as the Golden Eagles immediately went back up 21-17 and scored four of the final seven points to win the set 25-20 and sweep the match.
Chico State takes Sunday off before beginning another busy week of CCAA action. Tuesday at 7 p.m. the Wildcats will be in the Bay Area to face San Francisco State, followed by Friday and Saturday home matches against conference rivals Sonoma State and Humboldt State.
