For the second straight year, the Chico State volleyball team has successfully played itself into the postseason. The Wildcats will be among the eight teams competing this week in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament, taking place at The Swamp, on the campus of San Francisco State. The 'Cats kick off the action against Cal State San Marcos Thursday in the tourney's first quarterfinal match, with first serve scheduled for 12 p.m.
Fans can follow the action on the Internet via Live Stats and live streaming video through the Wildcat Athletics website.
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The tournament format mirrors the NCAA Division II Women's Regional Tournament: an eight-team single-elimination event, beginning with four quarterfinal matches on Thursday. The winners advance to Friday's semifinals, and the semifinal victors face off for the conference championship on Saturday. The winner earns an automatic berth to the November 30-December 2 NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional.
Chico State enters the CCAA Championship Tournament with a 15-13 record, and its 9-9 conference mark makes the Wildcats the North Division's No. 3 seed. The 'Cats, winners of seven of their last eight contests entering the final weekend of the regular season, finished out by losing back-to-back road matches to Cal State Monterey Bay Friday and Cal State East Bay on Saturday.
Chico State owns a combined 2-8 record against the seven other teams competing in the CCAA Championship Tournament. The Wildcats fell in their lone regular season matchup against Thursday's quarterfinal opponent, Cal State San Marcos, losing on the road to the Cougars in four sets back on September 22.
Cal State San Marcos, making its first postseason appearance in volleyball as a Division II school, enters the tournament with a 14-11 record, and is the North Division's No. 2 seed thanks to an 11-6 conference mark. Like the Wildcats, the Cougars stumbled in the final week of regular season play, bowing in four sets to both Cal State LA and Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Both Chico State and San Marcos have seen mixed results on the road this season. The Wildcats are 8-11 away from Acker Gym, while the Cougars are 4-8 away from their home floor at the San Marcos Sports Center.
Chico State enters postseason play with no less than six players with at least 100 kills. Bekah Boyle leads the way with 275 kills, but Olivia Mediano (244), Makaela Keeve (206), Anna Baytosh (162), Kim Wright (130) and Kelley Jacome (106) will also be expected to contribute to the 'Cats' offense during the CCAA Championship Tournament. Keeve also ranks among the top defenders in the conference with 93 blocks on the season.
San Marcos is an outstanding defensive team, with junior middle blocker Faith Fortuné racking up a CCAA-leading 114 blocks. Sophomore outside hitter/middle blocker Maddy Newcombe is the Cougars' top offensive weapon with 217 kills.
Of the other six teams playing in the CCAA Championship Tournament, Cal State San Bernardino, the South Division's No. 1 seed, comes in with the biggest head of steam. The Coyotes won their last seven matches to close out the regular season, while the North Division's No. 1 seed, Sonoma State, has won it last four contests. Cal State Monterey Bay has won three in a row entering Thursday's quarterfinal action; Cal State LA has won six of it last eight matches and Cal State East Bay has won four of its last five contests.
UC San Diego, the South Division's No. 3 seed, qualified for the conference tournament despite losing its last four regular season matches.
2017 CCAA WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Thursday-Saturday, November 16–18
All matches played at The Swamp, San Francisco State
Quarterfinals—Thursday, November 16
12 p.m.—#3 (N) seed Chico State (15-13) vs. #2 (S) seed Cal State San Marcos (14-11)
2:30 p.m.—#4 (S) seed Cal State LA (14-11) vs. #1 (N) seed Sonoma State (20-7)
5 p.m.—#3 (S) seed UC San Diego (16-9) vs. #2 (N) seed Cal State East Bay (17-10)
7:30 p.m.—#4 (N) seed Cal State Monterey Bay (14-12) vs. #1 (S) seed Cal State San Bernardino (18-7)
Semifinals—Friday, November 17
5 p.m.—Winner of Quarterfinal 1 vs. Winner of Quarterfinal 2
7:30 p.m.—Winner of Quarterfinal 3 vs. Winner of Quarterfinal 4
Championship—Saturday, November 18
7 p.m.—Winner of Semifinal 1 vs. Winner of Semifinal 2
