TURLOCK – The Chico State volleyball team continued its impressive early-season roll Thursday in opening day action at the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase, needing just three sets to down Alaska-Fairbanks 25-18, 25-23, 25-20 at Fitzpatrick Arena in Turlock. Since their season-opening five-set loss to Dominican, the Wildcats have won nine of their last 10 sets to improve to 4-1 on the year.
Camryn Rocha led the 'Cats' offense Thursday with 15 kills; Olivia Mediano posted 10 kills and 10 digs and Anna Baytosh came through with eight kills on the day. Torey Thompson doled out 31 assists while adding eight digs and two blocks, and Shannon Cotton led all players with 15 digs.
A Mediano service ace and kills by Mediano and Thompson helped Chico State jump out to a 4-1 lead in the first set, and the Wildcats would never trail. The 'Cats extended their advantage to 13-7, only to see the Nanooks pull to within three at 14-11. Chico State put the contest away by going on an 8-1 run, using four Rocha kills and a Kim Wright ace to go up 22-12. Mediano provided the set-winning kill as the Wildcats posted the 25-18 victory.
In the second set, Alaska took an early 3-1 lead, but Chico State answered by scoring nine of the next 13 points – Mediano and Rocha each contributing a pair of kills – to go in front 10-7. A kill and solo block by Thompson pushed the 'Cats' lead to 15-9, but the Nanooks used a 10-4 run to knot up the set at 19-all. With the score 20-apiece, two Alaska miscues and kills by Thompson and Mediano put Chico State back in front 24-22. The Nanooks survived one set point, but Rocha delivered the deciding kill that gave the Wildcats the 25-23 win.
The third set was a tightly-played affair featuring eight tie scores, with neither team able to build a lead larger than three points during the first half of the contest. With the score knotted up at 15-all, Chico State – fueled by kills from Rocha, Mediano, Baytosh and Alex Boyle – pulled away with a 6-1 run to go up 21-16. A late ace by Cotton and another Baytosh kill sealed the deal, as the Wildcat took the set 25-20 to wrap up the match sweep.
Chico State will play twice Friday as the West Region Volleyball Showcase enters its second day of action. The 'Cats will take on Concordia-Irvine at 10 a.m., followed by a meeting with Western Oregon at 5:30 p.m. Fans can follow the action of both matches online via Live Stats, available on the Wildcat Athletics website.
