If the Chico State volleyball team was serious about keeping its playoff hopes alive, the Wildcats would have to come up huge against a team that had beaten them nine times in the last 10 meetings and was also desperately battling for a postseason berth. The Wildcats more than succeeded Friday at Acker Gym, stepping up big time to grind out a four-set victory over Sonoma State, downing the Seawolves 25-20, 17-25, 25-19, 25-20.
The victory snapped a two-match losing streak and moved the Wildcats' overall record to 13-11. More importantly, it improved Chico State's California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) record to 6-10, keeping the 'Cats in the mix for one of the North Division's four conference tournament bids.
With two regular season matches remaining, the Wildcats are in fifth place, but just one game behind third place Stanislaus State and a half-game back of fourth place San Francisco State in the North Division standings.
The loss to Chico State was a devastating blow to Sonoma State's postseason aspirations. The Seawolves dropped their seventh straight decision to slip to 8-16 on the year and 4-11 in the CCAA North Division.
The Wildcats spread the offense around Friday, with four players registering double-digit kills. Makaela Keeve led the way with a career-high 14 kills while posting nine blocks on the night. Kim Wright contributed a dozen kills, 11 digs, three service aces and two blocks, with Bekah Boyle and Kelley Jacome each producing 11 kills. Hailey Carter dished out 48 assists for the 'Cats, and Brooke Fogel racked up a match-high 20 digs.
Sonoma State had a 12-10 lead in the opening set when the 'Cats caught fire, ripping off a 12-3 run to go up 22-15—Jacome leading the way with three kills, while Keeve notched two kills and two blocks. The Seawolves crept back into the contest to trail by three, but a Carter kill and a Sonoma miscue gave the Wildcats the final two points needed to cement the 25-20 victory.
The Seawolves jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the second set, only to see the Wildcats use kills by Keeve, Boyle, Wright, Jacome, and Kennedy Rice to fashion an 8-3 run and go up 10-9. Sonoma State recovered quickly, retook the lead at 11-10 and were never headed. Back-to-back kills by Rice brought the 'Cats to within 15-13, but the Seawolves finished on a 10-4 run to win going away, 25-17.
Chico State never trailed in the third set, and with the score 11-10, broke open a close contest with a 9-2 run—aces by Esti Wilson and Lauren Voelker, kills by Jacome, Carter, and Rice, and a Rice/Keeve combo block served as the highlights as the Wildcats went up 20-12. Sonoma State could get no closer than five points the rest of the way, and Chico State rolled to the 25-19 victory.
The 'Cats kept the pedal to the metal in the fourth set, racing out to a 12-4 lead on the strength of three Keeve kills, two kills by Boyle, and two Wright aces. The Seawolves inched to within five at 13-8, but Sonoma State was unable to muster any sort of serious threat. Chico State would score 11 of the next 15 points to balloon its advantage to 24-12, and a Seawolves' service error would provide the Wildcats with the final point to win the set 25-13 and the match, evening the season series.
Chico State plays its final home match of the regular season Saturday, taking on Humboldt State. First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Acker Gym.
