SAN FRANCISCO – With five of its next seven matches at Acker Gym, the Chico State volleyball team is getting ready to enjoy some well-deserved home cookin' for the first time in the 2015 season. The Wildcats still had a little road work to attend to Tuesday night in the Bay Area, though, and after battling though five grueling sets Chico State boarded the vans a winner, downing the host San Francisco State Gators 25-21, 13-25, 25-20, 26-28, 15-12 at the Don Nasser Family Plaza.
Tuesday's win moved Chico State to 11-3 on the year and into sole possession of second place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with a 3-1 conference mark. San Francisco State slipped to 3-7 overall and 1-2 in CCAA play.
Olivia Mediano led the Wildcats with 23 kills and three service aces, but Tuesday was a career night for Ashton Kershner, who delivered a personal-high 16 kills while posting an impressive .452 hitting percentage. Shannon Boling added 13 kills and four blocks; Torey Thompson doled out 51 assists and contributed 18 digs, with Shannon Cotton collecting 27 digs and seven assists.
Two early Kershner kills gave the Wildcats a quick 3-1 lead in the opening set. After San Francisco State went up 6-5, Chico State scored seven of the next eight points – Boling delivering two kills and a solo block during the run – to put the 'Cats back in front 11-7. The Gators would tie the contest, but with the score 16-all, the Wildcats took control courtesy of a Kershner ace and two kills apiece by Boling, Kershner and Mediano – the late 9-5 run giving Chico State a 25-21 victory.
The second set was all San Francisco State, as the Gators raced out to an early 9-3 lead and never looked back, eventually extending their advantage to 21-8. Despite late kills by Kershner, Thompson, Mediano and Boling, the Wildcats had way too much ground to make up, and San Francisco State cruised to a 25-13 win.
The Gators went up 8-5 early in the third set, but fueled by a Mediano ace and kills by Mediano, Hannah Wilkins and Shelby Frank, the 'Cats reeled off eight of the next nine points to take a 13-9 lead. San Francisco State once again fought back, briefly going out in front 16-15. With the score knotted up at 19-apiece, Mediano delivered a pair of kills, Boling contributed a kill and teamed with Wilkins on a block, helping the Wildcats finish the set on a 6-1 run to take a 25-20 decision.
The two teams split the first 16 points of the fourth set before the Wildcats surged in front 18-12 on the strength of a Thompson ace, three Mediano kills, two Boling winners and a Boling/Wilkins combo block. The Gators refused to buckle, catching the 'Cats and taking a 24-23 lead. Chico State survived two set points and went back on top 26-25 but were unable to close it out, as San Francisco State scored three straight points to post the come-from-behind 28-26 victory.
The Wildcats went up 9-5 in the fifth and deciding set on kills by Boling, Kershner, Thompson and Mediano plus a pair of Kershner blocks. San Francisco State crept to within 12-11, but this time Chico State would not relinquish the lead, as Kershner and Mediano combined for the final three kills that gave the 'Cats the 15-12 win and the hard-fought match victory.
Chico State returns home this weekend for a pair of conference matchups. The Wildcats will host defending CCAA and NCAA West Region champion Sonoma State (5-3, 1-1 CCAA) Friday, with Humboldt State (4-4, 2-2 CCAA) visiting Acker Gym on Saturday. Both matches are slated to start at 7 p.m.
