After coming up short in a hotly contested road match last Saturday against Humboldt State, the Chico State volleyball team looks to rebound this weekend in the friendly confines of Acker Gym. Two Southern California conference foes – Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State San Bernardino – stand in the way of the Wildcats' return to the win column. The 'Cats go head-to-head with the Broncos Friday, with the No. 17 Coyotes in town on Saturday. Both matches begin at 7 p.m.
Fans unable to attend the matches in person can follow the action online via Live Stats and live streaming video available through the Wildcat Athletics website.
Chico State enters the weekend 8-4 overall and in a three-way tie for second place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) North Division with a 2-1 conference mark. Saturday's setback at the hands of Humboldt State snapped the Wildcats' four-match winning streak.
The 'Cats have won all three matches played at Acker Gym so far this season.
Chico State continues to put up some of the best numbers in the CCAA, leading the conference in kills per set (14.07), assists per set (13.31), hitting percentage (.241), service aces (79) and aces per set (1.88).
Individually, several Wildcats rank high in various statistical categories:
-- Torey Thompson leads the CCAA in assists per set (10.83) and is third in assists (433).
-- Olivia Mediano is fourth among conference hitters in kills per set (3.38) and fifth in kills (135).
-- Camryn Rocha is sixth in the CCAA in kills per set (3.21) and 10th in kills (125).
-- Kim Wright is second in the conference in service aces per set (0.45), third in aces (18) and 10th in hitting percentage (.288).
-- Shannon Cotton is fourth in the CCAA in digs per set (4.54), seventh in digs (186), seventh in aces per set (0.39) and tied for eighth in aces (16).
-- Anna Baytosh ranks eighth in the conference with a .298 hitting percentage.
Cal Poly Pomona, the Wildcats' Friday night opponent, is 4-8 overall and in last place in the CCAA's South Division with an 0-3 conference mark. The Broncos have dropped four straight and five of their last six matches, and were swept last weekend by both Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Pomona could pose problems at the net. The Broncos are fifth in the CCAA in blocks (89.5) and blocks per set (1.99). Junior opposite hitter Alexandra Gresham, sophomore opposite Desi Martin and sophomore middle Kristen Hamlin have combined for 118 blocks and all three are ranked in the conference's top 10 in blocks per set.
Cal Poly Pomona won the lone meeting with Chico State last season, beating the Wildcats in five sets Oct. 9 at Acker Gym. The Broncos hold a 26-17 advantage in the all-time series between the two teams.
Cal State San Bernardino, which plays Stanislaus State Friday before coming to Chico Saturday, is 8-3 entering the weekend and in third place in the CCAA South Division with a 2-1 conference mark. After beating Cal State Dominguez Hills last Friday, the Coyotes bowed in four sets to Cal State L.A., snapping their five-match winning streak.
San Bernardino, an NCAA West Region semifinalist last season, has finished either first or second in the CCAA every year since 2006. The Coyotes are ranked second among the 13 conference teams in hitting percentage (.231), second in blocks per set (2.23) and third in both kills per set (13.36) and assists per set (12.27).
San Bernardino is led by junior outside hitter Lauren Nicholson, who leads the CCAA in kills (190) and kills per set (4.32). Senior middle Malika O'Brien is No. 1 in the conference in hitting percentage (.410), while sophomore Jayann DeHoog is second among CCAA setters in assists per set (10.64). Sophomore middle hitter Hailey Jackson is third in the conference in blocks per set (1.02).
The Coyotes took both meetings with Chico State last year to run their winning streak against the Wildcats to 41; the last Chico State win over San Bernardino was September 23, 1995. The 'Cats have never beaten the Coyotes at Acker Gym.
