SAN BERNARDINO—Saturday's California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Volleyball Championship Tournament final couldn't have been scripted any better. Chico State, the No. 1 team in the North Division, going head-to-head against Cal State San Bernardino, No. 1 in the South. The match between the conference's two top teams more than lived up to the hype, going five grueling, nerve-wracking sets before the Coyotes bested the Wildcats 25-21, 24-26, 25-22, 20-25, 15-9 at Coussoulis Arena.
 
The loss dropped Chico State to 23-7 on the season and denied the Wildcats their first-ever CCAA conference crown. Cal State San Bernardino improved to 24-4 and captured its 12th CCAA title in 16 years.
 
Four Wildcats racked up double-digit kills Saturday, with Ashton Kershner's 16 winners leading the way. Olivia Mediano contributed 15 kills and 21 digs; Kim Wright chalked up 13 kills, three service aces and five blocks, and Camryn Rocha added 12 kills to the Chico State attack. Torey Thompson doled out 55 assists to go along with eight kills and six blocks, while Shannon Cotton and Tristen Thompson combined for 42 digs.
 
Cal State San Bernardino started strong, racing out to a 10-4 lead in the opening set. Consecutive kills by Kershner, Mediano and Anna Baytosh kick-started a 13-6 run climaxed by kills by Kershner, Rocha and Torey Thompson to put   Chico State in front 17-16. The Wildcats were still up 20-19 when the Coyotes reeled off four straight points to take a 23-20 lead, and a Lauren Nicholson kill provided the set-winner as San Bernardino prevailed 25-21.
 

The 'Cats rebounded in the second set, taking an early 6-0 lead on kills by Mediano and Torey Thompson, and a pair of Tristen Thompson service aces. Chico State extended its advantage to 10-2, only to see San Bernardino go on a 9-2 run to pull to within 12-11. It was still a one-point contest before a Wright ace and kills by Baytosh, Mediano and Kershner gave Chico State a 23-19 lead. Once again the Coyotes answered, scoring four in a row to pull even. It was 24-apiece when the Wildcats scored the winning points on a Torey Thompson kill and a Thompson/Wright combo block, giving Chico State the match-tying 26-24 victory.
 
The two teams split the first 20 points of the third set before a Rocha kill gave Chico State its first lead at 11-10. A 5-1 San Bernardino run put the Coyotes up 15-12, but following a timeout the Wildcats went back in front with a 4-0 run highlighted by kills from Rocha and Kershner. Chico State still led 17-16 when a 5-1 run put San Bernardino in control, and though the Wildcats clawed back to make the score 23-22, the Coyotes came through with the final two points to win the set 25-22.
 
 Now in a must-win situation, Chico State jumped out to a 10-5 lead in the fourth set thanks to a Shannon Cotton ace and kills by Wright, Baytosh, Kershner and Torey Thompson. San Bernardino stayed close, catching the 'Cats at 15-all, but a Wright/Torey Thompson block and kills by Kershner, Mediano and Baytosh fueled a 4-1 run to put the Wildcats back in front 19-16. Two Wright aces kept the Coyotes at bay, and Rocha delivered the clutch kill to give Chico State the 25-20 victory and force a fifth and deciding set.
 
After four tightly-played sets, San Bernardino dominated early in the fifth, as the Coyotes bolted out to a 6-0 lead. The Wildcats attempted to rally, using multiple kills by Wright and Kershner to creep to within 11-7, but there was just too much ground to make up and not enough time. San Bernardino scored three of the last four points to lock down the 15-9 victory to take the match and the conference championship.    
 
The Wildcats must now wait until Monday to find out if they will be among the eight West Region teams that earn invitations to the NCAA Championship Tournament, taking place December 1-3 at a site to be determined. The live selection show will be available for viewing online Monday at 4:30 p.m. Pacific time at www.ncaa.com.