If the Chico State volleyball team is to continue its recent hot streak, it's going to have to do it on the road this weekend. The Wildcats, winners of three of the last four contests, make their first conference trip to Southern California this season to take on a pair of tough California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) South Division opponents. The 'Cats will be at RIMAC Arena Friday to take on UC San Diego at 7 p.m., followed by a 3 p.m. showdown Saturday against Cal State San Marcos.
Fans can follow the action of both matches on the Internet with Live Stats, accessible through the Wildcat Athletics website. Live streaming video is also available online (the UC San Diego match is being broadcast on ESPN3, which can accessed free online.
Chico State enters the week 10-6 on the season and sharing first place with Stanislaus State in the CCAA North Division with a 6-2 conference mark. The Wildcats were victorious in their lone match last week, downing Cal State Monterey Bay in four sets on Saturday.
Chico State is 7-5 on the road so far this season.
The 'Cats, who nearly had five players register double-digit kills against the Otters, lead all CCAA teams in kills (867) and rank second in the conference in kills per set (13.55).
Individually, Kim Wright continues to add to her huge season numbers. The senior middle hitter is second in the CCAA in kills (231), kills per set (3.61), and points per set (4.44), while ranking sixth in the conference in hitting percentage (.346). Wright enters the weekend just 10 kills shy of 1,000 for her Chico State career, and needs six service aces to become the program's all-time ace leader.
Brooke Ono tops all CCAA setters in assists (668) and assists per set (10.95). The true freshman also ranks 19th in all of Division II in assists per set.
Brooke Fogel, who recently collected her 1,000th career dig, is sixth in the CCAA in digs this season with 224, and ranks seventh in the conference in digs per set (3.80).
UC San Diego, Chico State's Friday night opponent, is 11-6 overall and tied with Cal State San Marcos for third place in the CCAA South Division with a 5-4 conference record. The Tritons have dropped two of their last three contests entering the week, and are coming off a split last weekend, beating Cal Poly Pomona in four sets before being swept by No. 1-ranked Cal State San Bernardino.
The Tritons are 5-2 at home this season.
UC San Diego boasts three quality hitters in senior middle Jessica Rieble (164 kills/.407 hitting percentage/64 blocks), junior outside Gina Cortesi (149 kills), and senior outside Sydney Tekstra (145 kills).
The Wildcats beat the Tritons in five sets in the lone meeting between the two teams October 13 at Acker Gym. Chico State has won the last two head-to-head matchups, but has won just once at RIMAC Arena since 2006. UC San Diego leads the all-time series 28-9.
Cal State San Marcos, which faces the Wildcats Saturday after hosting Stanislaus State the previous night, is 11-7 on the season and tied with UC San Diego for third place in the CCAA South Division. The Cougars enter the week having won three of their last four, and are coming off a weekend split that featured a sweep of Cal Poly Pomona and a four-set loss to Cal State San Bernardino.
San Marcos has proven to be tough to beat on its home floor this season, winning seven of eight at The Sports Center.
Senior outside hitter Olivia Aguilar leads the Cougars with 155 kills, followed by junior outside Micah Hébert (127). Senior middle blocker Maddy Newcombe—an All-CCAA conference selection last year—has racked up 117 kills, 58 blocks, and a conference-leading 27 service aces. Freshman outside hitter Emily Vander Weide and junior middle blocker Kassy Doering have combined for 214 kills on the season.
Chico State and San Marcos met one time in 2018, with the Cougars prevailing in five sets October 12 at Acker Gym. The all-time series is tied at three wins apiece.
