As is usually the case on Senior Night, the emotions were running high Saturday in Acker Gym as the Chico State volleyball team honored Ashton Kershner, Jacki Kreymborg, Natalie Nordahl and Torey Thompson prior to the quartet's last-ever home match. The Wildcats then successfully carried that emotional high right onto the court to make short work of a very talented Cal State San Marcos squad, sweeping the visiting Cougars 25-14, 25-14, 25-17.

 

Saturday's win moved Chico State to 19-6 on the year and 13-3 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), with the Wildcats maintaining their one game lead over Sonoma State in the conference's North Division standings. Cal State San Marcos slipped to 15-10 overall and 8-8 in CCAA play.
 
Camryn Rocha led a balanced Wildcat attack with 10 kills on the night. Olivia Mediano collected eight kills to go along with 13 digs, two service aces and a block, while Kim Wright, Ashton Kershner and Anna Baytosh each racked up seven kills. Torey Thompson piled up 33 assists as well as 13 digs and a pair of solo blocks, with Shannon Cotton chipping in with 13 digs, seven assists, two aces and a kill.
 
One of the high points of the Senior Night festivities occurred before the first serve was even struck. Nordahl, forced to sit out the entire season due to a knee injury, was put into the starting lineup by Hein and was immediately substituted for, giving her the chance to receive a warm round of applause by the fans and evener warmer hugs from her Wildcat teammates.
 
Once the action started, it was all Chico State. The Wildcats used a Cotton ace, multiple kills by Mediano and Rocha and single winners from Kershner, Wright and Baytosh to bolt out to a 14-5 lead, leaving San Marcos searching for a way to stop the 'Cats' attack. Chico State kept the foot on the gas, as late kills by Rocha, Baytosh, Kershner and Torey Thompson stretched the 'Cats' advantage to 24-11. The Cougars survived three set points before Kershner put it away with a kill to give the Wildcats the 25-14 win.
 
San Marcos, on the strength of three straight Aleese Wheaton aces, rolled out to a 4-0 lead in the second set, but Chico State immediately starting chipping away at the deficit. A Baytosh kill tied the contest at 8-all, then the Wildcats went ahead on a Tristen Thompson ace and kills by Rocha and Kershner. The Cougars came back to knot things up at 12-12, only to see Chico State close things out with a 13-2 run. Kills from Baytosh, Mediano, Wright, Rocha and Torey Thompson powered the 'Cats to a 25-14 victory and a big two-set lead.
 
Chico State took control of the third set early, racing out to a 9-2 lead – Mediano scored two kills and an ace; Baytosh and Wright combined for a block and Wright and Bekah Boyle added kills during the stretch. San Marcos closed to within 13-9, but that would be as close as they'd get, as the 'Cats scored 11 of the next 16 points to extend their lead to 24-14. The Cougars continued to claw, surviving three match points, but Baytosh put an end to the proceedings with a booming kill that gave the Wildcats the 25-17 win and the match sweep.   
 
Chico State travels to Southern California next weekend for its final two regular season matches. Friday the Wildcats will be in Carson to take on Cal State Dominguez Hills, followed by a Saturday showdown with Cal State L.A. Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m.