ANCHORAGE, Alaska—The competition continues to be fierce at the D2 West Region Showcase, and the Chico State volleyball team, going up against two more nationally-ranked opponents Friday at Alaska Airlines Arena, entertained visions of back-to-back upsets against a pair of top 25 squads. The Wildcats began with an afternoon four-set win over No. 15 Concordia-Irvine 25-23, 25-22, 17-25, 25-21, but in the evening match the 'Cats were swept by No. 24 Cal Baptist 12-25, 16-25, 10-25.
The Friday split gives Chico State an overall record of 5-3 record on the season.
Olivia Mediano led the Wildcats' offense with a combined 20 kills on the day, with Anna Baytosh and Makaela Keeve collecting 14 and 12 kills, respectively. Kim Wright posted 11 kills, six blocks and three service aces over the two Friday matches, while McKenna Carroll and Nicole Desrochers combined for 59 assists. Brooke Fogel contributed a team-high total of 31 digs.
Mediano provided nearly all of the Wildcats' offense early in the opening set against Cal Baptist, but it wasn't enough to keep Chico State from falling behind 11-4. Baytosh, Wright and Alex Boyle contributed kills later in the set, but the 'Cats were unable to cut into the Lancers' advantage, and Cal Baptist finished things out on an 11-5 run to win handily 25-12.
The Lancers roared out to a 4-0 lead in the second set, but a Wright service ace and kills by Mediano, Baytosh, Wright and Bekah Boyle kept the Wildcats close. With Cal Baptist up 14-10, the Lancers reeled off eight of the next 10 points to take firm control of the proceedings. The 'Cats staged a late rally, with a Mediano ace, kills by Mediano and Bekah Boyle and a Baytosh/Keeve block, but Cal Baptist secured the final points needed to post the 25-16 victory.
Chico State combined a Wright kill and a Lancers error to go up 2-1 in the third set, only to see Cal Baptist go on a 15-4 run to grab a double-digit lead. The Wildcats could not recover, and despite a Wright ace and kills by Keeve and Alex Boyle, the Lancers tallied eight of the last nine points to roll to a 25-10 victory and the match win.
Mediano led the Wildcats with seven kills, with Baytosh adding five winners. McKenna Carroll doled out 13 assists, while Brooke Fogel led the 'Cats with 11 digs.
In Friday's afternoon match against Concordia-Irvine, the Eagles took an early 5-1 lead in the opening set, but the Wildcats used a 12-4 run—powered by a Wright service ace and kills from Mediano, Baytosh and Alex Boyle—to jump out in front 13-9. Concordia came back to tie the score, and the contest was still knotted up at 23-all when a Mediano kill and an Eagles error provided the winning points as the 'Cats prevailed 25-23.
The second set saw Concordia break out to a 4-1 lead, but once again the Wildcats ripped off an impressive run, scoring 13 of the next 18 points to go up 14-9. Kills by Mediano and Bekah Boyle extended the advantage to 19-12, and though the Eagles survived four set points to pull to within two, a Concordia miscue gave Chico State the final point needed to register the 25-22 victory.
With their backs to the wall, the Eagles roared out to a 12-2 lead in the third set, but multiple kills by Mediano, Baytosh and Keeve plus a Mediano/Keeve combo block helped the 'Cats cut the deficit to 17-14. Chico State could get no closer, however, and Concordia kept the match alive with the 25-17 victory.
The Eagles went up 5-2 at the outset of set four, but the Wildcats took off on a 16-7 run—highlighted by a kill and ace by Tristen Thompson, multiple kills by Wright and Baytosh, and a Keeve/Baytosh combo block—to grab an 18-12 lead. Two Mckenna LaForge kills extended the Wildcats' advantage to seven, but Concordia responded with five unanswered points to edge to within 23-21. The 'Cats stood firm, though, as Wright buried a kill and combined with Mediano on a block that gave Chico State the 25-21 victory and the match win, handing the Eagles their first loss of the season.
Mediano finished the match with 13 kills, 19 digs and a pair of aces. Keeve tallied nine kills and five blocks, while Baytosh added another nine kills to the Wildcats' attack. Wright racked up seven kills, six blocks and an ace, with Carroll and Desrochers combining for 38 assists and 16 digs. Fogel led Chico State with 20 digs.
Chico State wraps up the D2 West Region Showcase Saturday with a single match against No. 10 Western Washington. First serve is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Pacific time; Live Stats and live streaming video are available online via the Wildcat Athletics website.
