SAN BERNARDINO—With five straight victories under its belt, the Chico State volleyball team carried its longest winning streak of the season into Coussoulis Arena Friday night, but host Cal State San Bernardino was not about to become victim number six. Behind a school-record 29 kills by Lauren Nicholson, the Coyotes survived a late final set charge by the Wildcats to post a 25-17, 25-18, 29-27 sweep of the 'Cats.
Friday's loss dropped Chico State to 13-11 on the season and 7-7 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) North Division. Cal State San Bernardino won its third straight match to improve to 14-7 overall and 10-3 in the CCAA South Division.
Bekah Boyle led the Wildcats with 14 kills, while Olivia Mediano and Kelley Jacome added 11 and seven kills, respectively. McKenna Carroll and Nicole Desrochers combined for 35 assists on the night, with Tristen Thompson scooping a team-high 10 digs.
Cal State San Bernardino led from start to finish in the opening set, riding the hot hand of Nicholson, who hammered home 12 kills. The Coyotes jumped out to a 4-1 lead, but kills by Mediano and Makaela Keeve brought Chico State to with 5-4. An 8-4 San Bernardino run made the score 13-8, only to see the 'Cats use kills by Keeve, Mediano and Boyle to creep to within 16-12. That was as close as the Wildcats would get, as the Coyotes quickly extended their advantage to nine points and won going away, 25-17.
San Bernardino once again established the upper hand in the second set. Despite early kills by Jacome and Anna Baytosh, the Coyotes posted a 10-5 lead. The Wildcats answered back—a Mediano/Keeve combo block and kills by Mediano, Boyle, Jacome, Keeve and Kim Wright fueled an 11-6 Chico State run to tie the contest at 16-all. San Bernardino was able to regroup and score nine of the final 11 points to roll to the 25-18 victory.
A Mediano kill and a Jacome/Wright combo block staked the Wildcats to an early lead in the third set, but the Coyotes went on a 11-4 run to go up 12-6. Chico State scored the next three points—courtesy of kills by Mediano, Jacome and Boyle—to pull the 'Cats to within three. San Bernardino was able to maintain its lead, however, building a seemingly comfortable 23-18 advantage.
Chico State made one more furious charge—a Desrochers ace, a Boyle/Keeve block and Mediano kill highlighted a 6-1 run to catch the Coyotes at 24-apiece. Back and forth the two teams went, with the Wildcats twice holding set point, but with the score knotted up at 27-all, back-to-back kills by Nicholson and Hailey Jackson gave San Bernardino the 29-27 win and the match sweep.
The Wildcats are back in action Saturday, traveling to Kellogg Gym to take on Cal Poly Pomona. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. Fans can follow the action online with Live Stats and live streaming video, available via the Wildcat Athletics website.
