October has been something of a roller-coaster ride for the Chico State volleyball team. The Wildcats began the month with back-to-back losses to Sonoma State and Stanislaus State, but bounced back to put together their longest winning streak of the season. The 'Cats close out October this weekend with a pair of challenging road matches in Southern California, taking on perennial conference powerhouse Cal State San Bernardino on Friday and Cal Poly Pomona Saturday. Both matches are scheduled to get underway at 7 p.m.
Fans can follow the action of both matches online with Live Stats, available via the Wildcat Athletics website.
Chico State enters the weekend riding a five-match winning streak and sits at 13-10 on the season. The Wildcats have moved up to second place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) North Division standings with a 7-6 conference record, one-half game ahead of third place Cal State East Bay and a game-and-a-half up on fourth place Cal State Monterey Bay.
The two matches in SoCal continue a stretch that has the 'Cats playing five of its final six regular season matches on the road. Chico State beat Humboldt State last Saturday in Arcata, but the Wildcats have won just seven of 15 matches this season away from the friendly confines of Acker Gym.
Chico State will face an immediate challenge Friday as they play a Cal State San Bernardino team that rarely loses on its home floor. The Coyotes, sporting a 13-7 overall record and a share of first place in the CCAA South Division with a 9-3 conference mark, have won their last 25 matches at Coussoulis Arena since bowing to UC San Diego over two years ago. San Bernardino has won four of its last five matches, including a Saturday sweep of Cal Poly Pomona.
The Wildcats, who snapped a 20-year, 41-match losing streak against San Bernardino last season at Acker Gym, have not beaten the Coyotes on the road since September 23, 1995.
San Bernardino is led by senior Lauren Nicholson, who tops all CCAA hitters with 316 kills on the year. Junior Hailey Jackson, a 6'3" middle blocker, has 178 kills and is second in the conference with 90 blocks, while sophomore outside Moira Murphy has 189 kills to her credit.
Cal Poly Pomona, which hosts the Wildcats Saturday following a Friday night matchup against Stanislaus State, is 9-11 on the year and in sixth place in the CCAA South Division with a 5-7 conference record. The Broncos have struggled of late, having lost three of their last four matches, but can't be taken lightly—earlier this month Pomona downed San Bernardino in four sets.
The Broncos, who are still in contention for one of the four CCAA Championship Tournament South Division berths, are 2-3 so far this season at Kellogg Gym.
Pomona features four hitters with over 150 kills on the year—junior Andrea Bosnic (229), junior Jenna Goldsberry (181), senior Alexandra Gresham (170) and junior Desi Martin (151). Martin and Gresham have also combined for 105 total blocks.
Chico State swept Pomona at Acker Gym in their lone 2016 meeting, but the Broncos hold a 26-18 advantage in the all-time series between the two teams.
