The Chico State volleyball team already has a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament berth locked up, but the all-important seeding comes down to the final weekend of the regular season. The Wildcats, currently holding the No. 2 seed in the conference's North Division, needs a productive pair of road matches to hang on to that spot, travel to Seaside Friday to take on Cal State Monterey Bay, followed by what is promising to be a big showdown with Cal State East Bay Saturday in Hayward. Both matches are scheduled to get underway at 7 p.m.
Fans can follow the action of both matches online this weekend. Live Stats and live streaming video will be available on Friday night via the Wildcat Athletics website. Saturday's Cal State East Bay match will feature Live Stats only.
Chico State heads into the critical final weekend playing its best volleyball of the season. The Wildcats have won two straight and seven of its last eight matches to move to 15-11 on the season, and trail only Sonoma State in the CCAA North Division with a 9-7 conference record. The 'Cats won their lone match of the week Saturday, downing Humboldt State in four sets in the final 2017 match at Acker Gym.
Cal State East Bay is in third place at 8-8, a game behind Chico State, and though both teams have punched their ticket to the postseason, Saturday's head-to-head matchup between the Pioneers and 'Cats could very well decide the conference tournament's No. 2 and No. 3 seed from out of the North based on the best record against in-division teams.
Chico State hits the road with a 8-9 record away from Acker Gym this season.
Before the Wildcats start worrying about East Bay, though, Head Coach Cody's Hein crew must get by Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday. The Otters are 12-12 overall and in fourth place in the North Division with a 6-10 conference record, clinching a CCAA Championship Tournament berth. Monterey Bay saw its losing streak increase to six straight last Friday in falling to Sonoma State, but bounced back the following night to sweep San Francisco State and claim the Otters' first victory since October 13.
Monterey Bay has split its 10 matches played on the Otters' home floor, The Kelp Bed.
Chico State and Monterey Bay are meeting for the second time this season. The Wildcats and Otters went the distance October 14 at Acker Gym, with Chico State coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win in five sets.
The 'Cats and Otters have seen 10 of their last 16 head-to-head matchups go the full five sets, including five of the last seven at The Kelp Bed. Chico State holds a 24-3 edge in the all-time series between the two teams.
Cal State East Bay, which takes on the Wildcats Saturday following Friday's scheduled matchup against Stanislaus State, enters the weekend with a 15-10 record on the season. The Pioneers have dropped four of their last six decisions, including a four-set defeat Saturday at the hands of CCAA North Division leader Sonoma State.
East Bay has posted eight victories in 10 tries in its home arena, Pioneer Gymnasium.
The first time the 'Cats and Pioneers met this season, Chico State came away with a three-set win October 13 at Acker Gym. The Wildcat have won nine of the last 11 matchups with East Bay and lead the all-time series 33-11.
