Two hungry volleyball teams slugged it out Wednesday at Acker Gym, as Chico State and Stanislaus State attempted to halt losing skids while posting their first conference win. The visiting Warriors had the Wildcats on the ropes, winning two of the first three sets, but Head Coach Cody Hein's 'Cats stepped up at exactly the right time, and rode a late spark of energy to an exciting five-set victory, outlasting the Warriors 25-20, 25-27, 20-25, 25-14, 15-9.
The win moves Chico State to 8-3 on the season while improving to 1-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Stanislaus State dropped its third straight decision to fall to 7-4 overall and 0-3 in conference play.
Bekah Boyle came up just one kill shy of matching her career high, as the junior outside hitter floored a match-leading 22 winners on the night, to go along with nine digs and a pair of service aces. Kennedy Rice set a new personal best with 19 kills and four aces, while Kim Wright, Kelley Jacome and Makaela Keeve combined for 22 kills and six blocks. Nicole Desrochers dished out a career-high 56 assists while adding 11 digs and four aces, with Brooke Fogel delivering 21 digs, seven assists and four aces.
Stanislaus State took a 12-9 lead early in the opening set, but four straight points—highlighted by Jacome and Keeve kills—put the Wildcats in front. With the score tied at 13-all, Chico State took control with an 8-2 run—Rice collected two kills and an ace, with Wright, Desrochers and Boyle also connecting for kills—to give the 'Cats a 21-15 lead. The Warriors were able to pull to within two, only to see Chico State finish the set on a 4-1 run to win 25-20.
The second set was a tightly played affair, with neither team able to build more than a three point lead. The Wildcats were up 14-11 when Stanislaus scored 13 of the next 22 points to grab a 24-23 lead. Chico State was able to survive two set points, but the Warriors took advantage of two straight miscues by the 'Cats to pull out the 27-25 victory.
Stanislaus gained the upper hand in the third set, snapping a 16-all tie with a late 9-4 run, and despite kills by Boyle and Lindsey Bryant, and a Desrochers/Wright combo block down the stretch, the Warriors rolled to a 25-20 win to go up two sets to one.
Stanislaus found out, though, that the 'Cats still had plenty of fight in them, as Chico State rolled out to a 7-3 lead to start the fourth set. The Warriors crept to within 12-10, but the Wildcats ripped off seven unanswered points—three coming on Rice aces, two via Boyle kills—to give Chico State a commanding 19-10 lead. Stanislaus could not recover, and a Desrochers ace plus late kills by Boyle and Rice sealed the deal, giving the 'Cats a 25-14 victory to set up a fifth and deciding set.
Chico State had the momentum, and the Wildcats were not about to let it go—aces by Wright and Boyle, and kills by Boyle, Keeve, Rice, and Desrochers helped the 'Cats race out to a 10-3 lead in the final set. The stunned Warriors could get no closer than five points the rest of the way, and Wright ultimately provided the kill that gave Chico State the 15-9 win and the match victory.
The Wildcats wrap up the week's action on the road this Saturday, traveling to Seaside to take on the Otters of Cal State Monterey Bay. First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m. Fans can follow the action online with Live Stats via the Wildcat Athletics website.
