The two hottest teams in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) squared off Saturday night at Acker Gym – Chico State, winners of nine of its last 10 contests, hosting Sonoma State, looking to extend its season-best five match winning streak and cut the Wildcats' North Division lead to a single game. The action definitely matched the hype as both teams left it all on the court, but in the end it was the Seawolves which came away with the 25-22, 25-20, 27-25 victory while handing the 'Cats their first home loss of the season.

 

Saturday's loss dropped Chico State to 17-6 overall and 11-3 in the CCAA, with Sonoma State improving to 12-9 on the year and 10-4 in conference play. The sweep evened the score from nearly three weeks ago, when the Wildcats downed the Seawolves in four sets Oct. 11 in Rohnert Park.
 
Olivia Mediano posted a double-double to lead the Wildcats, pounding a match-high 17 kills while tallying 17 digs and a pair of service aces. Camryn Rocha delivered eight kills and three aces, with Kim Wright adding eight kills on the evening. Torey Thompson dished out 34 assists and came through with a dozen digs; twin sister Tristen Thompson had 16 digs and two aces, and Shannon Cotton piled up 24 digs in the losing effort.
 
The opening set was a back-and-forth affair from the get-go, but a 6-0 Sonoma State run gave the Seawolves an early 11-7 lead. The Wildcats answered by scoring 10 of the next 13 points – highlighted by three Mediano kills and Rocha hammering home a kill and dropping a pair of service aces – to put Chico State up 17-14. The 'Cats were still on top 22-19 when Sonoma ripped off six unanswered points – aided by three straight blocks of Wildcat attacks – to post the come-from-behind 25-22 victory.
 
Set number two was also a tightly-played contest, with the Wildcats using kills by Wright, Rocha and Torey Thompson to fuel a 5-1 run to go out in front 12-11. The lead was short-lived, however, as Sonoma fashioned a 9-3 run of its own to go up 20-15. Chico State was able to twice pull to within three, but a Calan Seitz kill and a Kelsey McIntire/Emily Papale combo block provided the Seawolves with the final points needed to lock down the 25-20 win.  
 
The 'Cats led for the majority of the third set, and with the score tied at 10-all, Chico State spread the offense around during a 14-9 run – Cotton clubbing a pair of aces and Mediano, Wright, Rocha, Torey Thompson and Bekah Boyle all posting kills – to take a seemingly commanding 24-19 lead. Sonoma State came roaring back, surviving five set points to tie the score, then went up 25-24. The stunned Wildcats stayed alive with a Mediano kill, but the Seawolves used a Seitz kill and a 'Cats' miscue to pull out the 27-25 victory and put the seal on the match sweep.
 
Chico State plays its final home matches of the regular season next weekend. The Wildcats host UC San Diego Friday at Acker Gym, with Cal State San Marcos in town on Saturday. Both contests are set to start at 7 p.m.