Chico State and Cal State San Marcos squared off Friday at Acker Gym, with both teams determined to put a halt to lengthy losing streaks. Though the Wildcats and visiting Cougars played the match fairly evenly, the 'Cats seemed to be playing catch-up the majority of the night. Chico State caught San Marcos to force a fifth set, but the Cougars once again jumped in front in the decider and held on to win the match, 25-27, 25-20, 25-23, 19-25, 15-12.
The Wildcats—losers of four straight and six of their last seven—slipped to 11-9 on the season and 4-8 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) North Division. Cal State San Marcos snapped its four-match skid with Friday's victory, improving to 9-10 overall and 5-6 in the CCAA South Division.
Even in defeat, Chico State got a sizeable amount of production from its hitters, with five Wildcats registering double-digit kills. Kim Wright led the way with 16 kills to go along with 11 digs and three blocks, with Bekah Boyle mashing 15 winners. Kennedy Rice posted 11 kills with two blocks and two service aces, while Makaela Keeve chipped in with 10 kills and seven blocks. Kelley Jacome also notched 10 kills on the night.
Nicole Desrochers racked up a career-high 57 assists for the Wildcats, adding 11 digs and five blocks. Brooke Fogel piled up a career-best 28 digs while supplying three aces to the 'Cats' attack.
Friday's opening set was a back-and-forth affair with 12 tie scores and seven lead changes. An Esti Wilson ace and kills by Wright, Rice, and Kennedy Greenwood gave Chico State an early 5-3 lead, but San Marcos answered with a 14-7 run to go up 17-12. The Wildcats climbed back into the contest, and on the strength of kills by Keeve, Rice, and Wright, plus a Keeve/Claire Wilson combo block, took a 23-22 lead. The 'Cats had to work to close things out—it took a kill by Rice to survive set point, and with the score 25-all kills by Wright and Boyle finally gave the Wildcats the 27-25 victory.
Chico State never led in a closely-played second set. The Wildcats caught the Cougars four separate times, but with the contest knotted up at 19-apiece, San Marcos tallied six of the last seven points to win going away 25-20.
Both teams came back from deficits in the third set. A 5-0 run—fueled by a Fogel ace and kills by Keeve, Rice, and Jacome—put the 'Cats in front 14-11, but the Cougars went on a 10-3 run of their own to go up 21-17. Chico State fought back—kills by Boyle and Rice, a Rice ace and a Desrochers/Wright combo block—helped the Wildcats pull even at 22-22. San Marcos once again outplayed the 'Cats at crunch time, scoring three of the final four points to triumph 25-23 and take the match lead.
The Wildcats fell behind 7-4 in the fourth set, but rallied to play their best volleyball of the evening. Multiple kills by Jacome, Wright and Boyle, plus aces by Wright, Fogel, and Desrochers highlighted a 16-6 run to put Chico State in front 20-13. Another Fogel ace briefly extended the lead to eight, with the Wildcats settling for a six-point victory at 25-19 to force a fifth and deciding set.
The 'Cats immediately dug themselves a hole, falling behind 5-0. Chico State pulled to within one at 8-7 thanks to kills by Wright and Boyle, a Wright/Rice combo block and an ace by Wright. But that would be as close as the Wildcats would get. San Marcos went up 14-10, and though the 'Cats twice survived match point, a Maddy Newcombe kill was the backbreaker as the Cougars hung on to win the set 15-12 and take the match.
The Wildcats are back in action Saturday, hosting UC San Diego (7-10, 3-8 CCAA) at Acker Gym. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
