TURLOCK—In a year that saw exhilarating highs and frustrating lows, the Chico State volleyball team went into Turlock knowing a win over host Stanislaus State would still be enough to propel the Wildcats into the postseason…but a loss would end the 2018 campaign. The 'Cats went down, but not before nearly pulling off a comeback for the ages. After falling behind two sets to none, Chico State rallied to force a fifth and deciding set before ultimately bowing to the Warriors 22-25, 17-25, 25-14, 25-20, 10-15 at Fitzpatrick Arena.
 
The disappointing loss capped off a season that saw the Wildcats finish 14-12 overall and 7-11 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) North Division. By ending up in fifth place in the North, Chico State came up just short of being one of the four teams from the North to advance to next week's CCAA Championship Tournament.
 
Stanislaus State went to 16-10 on the year (9-9 CCAA) with Saturday's win, and grabs the North Division's No. 3 seed in the upcoming conference tournament.
 
As she has done all season, Bekah Boyle led the Wildcat offense with 16 kills on the night. Kim Wright contributed 11 kills and four blocks, while Kelley Jacome registered 10 kills and five blocks. Kennedy Rice chipped in with nine kills, and Makaela Keeve posted seven kills and six blocks. Hailey Carter dished out 32 assists, with Brooke Fogel leading all players with 16 digs.
 
Stanislaus State jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the opening set, but an 8-4 Chico State run—fueled by kills from Jacome, Wright and Rice, plus scores on Jacome/Keeve and Wright/Nicole Desrochers combo blocks—helped the 'Cats pull to within 13-12. Though the Wildcats stayed close through the remainder of the set, the Warriors refused to surrender the lead, building a 22-18 advantage and holding off a late Chico State charge—kills by Wright, Jacome and Boyle made it a 23-22 contest—to post the final two points to cement the 25-22 victory.
 
The Wildcats fell behind early in the second set, but kills by Boyle, Rice, and Desrochers brought Chico State to within 8-6. Stanislaus responded with a 7-1 run to extend its lead to 15-7, only to see the 'Cats register five of the next six points to make it a 16-12 contest. The Warriors tallied three straight points to go back up by seven, and Chico State could get no closer than six the rest of the way, as Stanislaus rolled to the 25-17 win.
 
Now with their backs squarely to the wall and the season on the brink, the Wildcats rallied in the third set, using kills by Jacome, Rice, Wright, and Boyle to grab a quick 7-4 lead. Stanislaus came back with three straight points to knot up the contest, but Chico State responded with a 4-0 run—highlighted by kills from Boyle and Jacome, a Fogel ace and a Keeve solo block—to jump back on top 11-7. The Warriors could not recover, and the 'Cats proceeded to pull away, with late kills by Jacome and Boyle, and a Jacome/Keeve combo block sealing the deal to Chico State's 25-14 victory.
 
The momentum carried over into the fourth set, as the Wildcats shot out to a 4-1 lead. Stanislaus caught the 'Cats at 9-all, but Chico State answered with a 10-3 run—Boyle, Keeve, and Jacome supplying kills, and Esti Wilson knocking home an ace—to go back on top 19-12. The Warriors whittled the deficit down to two, but with the score 20-18, kills by Keeve and Wright spearheaded a late 5-2 run to give the Wildcats the 25-20 win.
 
The magic finally ran out for the 'Cats in the literal "winner take all" fifth set. Stanislaus went out in front, but kills by Rice, Wright, and Boyle kept the 'Cats close. The score was knotted up at 9-all when Stanislaus scored three straight points to retake the lead. A Wright kill made it 12-10, but it would prove to be the Wildcats' last hurrah. Three straight kills by Ramey Gardner gave the Warriors the deciding 15-10 victory, moving Stanislaus into the CCAA Championship Tournament and officially ending Chico State's season.
 
Though the Wildcats missed out on postseason play for the first time since 2014, there were plenty of positive takeaways that has Chico State enthusiastically looking forward to next fall. Boyle delivered a career-high 324 kills in 2018, with Jacome posting personal bests in kills (177) and blocks (47). Wright set personal single-season highs in blocks (86) and aces (35); Desrochers doled out a career-best 863 assists on the season, and Fogel collected a personal best 429 digs.
 
All will be returning next season. Add to that outstanding play by freshmen Rice, Carter, and Kennedy Greenwood, as well as junior transfer Wilson, and the forecast for Chico State volleyball's 2019 campaign is optimistic, to say the least.