HAYWARD/BELMONT, Calif.—The final day of the Route 92 Classic was certainly a long one for the Chico State volleyball team. Besides playing two matches in two different Bay Area locales Saturday, the Wildcats went the distance in both contests, playing a total of 10 grueling sets. The 'Cats let a two sets-to-none advantage get away in the opener, dropping a 25-23, 25-19, 18-25, 24-26, 12-15 decision to Biola College, but came back in the day's final match to top Notre Dame de Namur 20-25, 27-25, 19-25, 25-21, 15-8.
 
The Saturday split leaves the Wildcats with a 4-1 record on the young season.
 
Bekah Boyle generated 36 kills over the two Saturday matches, with Makaela Keeve adding a total of 20 kills to the 'Cats' attack. Olivia Mediano registered 18 kills on the day, with Kim Wright and Anna Baytosh contributing 16 and 13 winners, respectively. McKenna Carroll dished out 49 assists, while Nicole Desrochers handed out 37 assists. Brooke Fogel piled up a team-high 52 digs Saturday.  
 
Chico State's morning match at Pioneer Gym in Hayward featured a hard-fought affair between two unbeaten teams. The first set went to the Wildcats 25-23, as two Baytosh kills, a Tristen Thompson ace and a Mediano/Alex Boyle combo block highlighted a 9-7 run that snapped a 16-all tie.
 
The 'Cats then took a commanding two sets to none lead with a 25-19 triumph. Chico State was down 16-14 before going on an 8-0 run to take command of the contest. Wright and Keeve provided key kills during the stretch to help power the Wildcats to the victory.
 
The third set was another tightly-played affair, but Chico State found itself continually playing catch-up. An Alex Boyle kill pulled the 'Cats to within 15-14, but Biola scored 10 of the final 14 points to win going away 25-18.
 
The fourth set was particularly frustrating for the Wildcats, which let a 10-5 lead slip away. Chico State recovered, and thanks to a Mediano ace, went up 24-23. The 'Cats couldn't put the set (and match) away, however, as the Eagles survived match point and followed with two straight winners to prevail 26-24 to set up a fifth and deciding set.
 
Biola scored the first three points and led for most of the final set, but the Wildcats battled back. An ace by Carroll moved Chico State to within 12-11, but the Eagles answered with two straight to put the 'Cats on the brink. Thanks to a Wright kill, the Wildcats survived one match point, only to see Christina DenBoer answer with a kill that gave the Eagles the 15-12 win and the match victory.
 
Bekah Boyle had 13 kills to lead the Wildcats, with Baytosh, Mediano and Keeve producing eight kills apiece. Carroll and Desrochers combined for 37 assists and 18 digs, while Fogel contributed 26 digs and six assists.
 
Saturday afternoon the 'Cats found themselves in Belmont to close out the Route 92 Classic against Notre Dame de Namur. The Wildcats and Argonauts split the first 22 points of the opening set before Notre Dame went on a 6-0 run to take a 17-11 lead. The Argonauts were up 21-14 when Chico State scored four straight points, highlighted by a Baytosh kill and a Baytosh/Keeve combo block. The Argonauts were able to hold off the late Wildcats charge, and win by a final of 25-20.
 
Chico State saw a 6-3 lead in the second set evaporate on the strength of a 9-0 Notre Dame run, but the Wildcats answered by scoring eight of the next nine points—Keeve delivering two kills and Mediano racking up a pair of aces—to put Chico State back in front 14-13. With the score tied at 18-all, kills by Wright, Bekah Boyle and Alex Boyle, plus a Thompson ace, gave the 'Cats a 24-19 lead. The Argonauts did not go quietly, though, surviving five straight set points to knot up the score. Chico State finally put Notre Dame away on a Mediano kill and a Baytosh/Keeve combo block, and the Wildcats came away with a match-evening 27-25 victory.
 
The Argonauts broke out to an early 7-3 lead in the third set, but four quick Chico State points knotted things up. Notre Dame answered with four points of its own to go back on top 11-7, and the Wildcats could get no closer than two the rest of the way, as the Argonauts registered a 25-19 win.
 
Notre Dame led 7-6 at the beginning of the fourth set when two Desrochers aces sparked a 5-0 run to put the Wildcats in front 11-7. Mediano, Wright and Bekah Boyle each knocked down kills to help the 'Cats extend their advantage to 18-13, but the Argonauts rallied to cut the deficit to 19-18. This time, Chico State was not about to buckle, as two Bekah Boyle kills and a Wright/Alex Boyle combo block powered the Wildcats to a 25-21 victory.
 
The fifth and deciding set saw Notre Dame de Namur grab an early 4-2 lead, but kills by Keeve and Thompson and a Keeve/Alex Boyle block spearheaded a 5-1 Wildcats run to put Chico State on top 7-5. The Argonauts came back to knot things up at 8-all, only to see the 'Cats reel off seven straight points—three courtesy of Bekah Boyle kills—to post the 15-8 victory and the match win.    
 
Bekah Boyle ripped a career-best 23 kills to lead the Wildcats; Keeve added a dozen kills and six blocks. Mediano and Wright registered 10 kills apiece, while Carroll doled out a career-high 27 assists. Fogel chipped in with 26 digs and two aces.
 
The Wildcats will fly to Anchorage, Alaska next week to take part in the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase. Thursday at 9 p.m. Pacific time Chico State takes on the No. 4-ranked team in the country, Alaska Anchorage; Friday the Wildcat play No. 21 Concordia-Irvine at 1:30 p.m. and California Baptist at 9 p.m. (both Pacific times), and conclude with a single match Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Pacific against No. 12 Western Washington.