ROHNERT PARK—It's been over a month since the Chico State volleyball team put together back-to-back road wins. But with the season winding down and victories imperative to the success of their push towards a postseason berth, the Wildcats have come up huge to open up November. After downing Humboldt State Friday in Arcata, the 'Cats descended on the Wolves' Den in Rohnert Park Saturday to play arch-rival Sonoma State, and came away with a big four set win, downing the Seawolves 25-21, 23-25, 25-14, 25-22.
With Saturday's win, Chico State improved to 12-10 on the season and 8-6 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), avenging an October 4 loss to Sonoma State at Acker Gym and holding on to sole possession of third place in the North Division standings. Sonoma State lost for the fifth time in the last six outings to fall to 13-8 overall and 5-6 in CCAA play.
Kim Wright had a big night for the Wildcats, logging 14 kills, four blocks, and two service aces. Kelley Jacome added nine kills and a pair of blocks; Grace Shepherd tallied eight kills and two blocks, and Makaela Keeve contributed seven kills, two aces and 10 digs. Brooke Ono doled out 35 assists while racking up three blocks and a pair of aces. Brooke Fogel posted a team-high 11 digs and delivered three aces.
The Wildcats landed a single-match season high 13 aces while manufacturing 11 blocks, giving Chico State 24 total blocks on the weekend road trip.
Chico State had to play catch-up early in Saturday's opening set, falling behind 9-6, but a Wright kill and two winners by Bekah Boyle evened the score. With the contest knotted up at 13-all, the Wildcats went on an 8-3 run—Jacome leading the way with a pair of kills—to jump out in front by five. Now it was Sonoma State's turn to play catch-up, and though the Seawolves pulled to with two at 23-21, an error and a Shepherd/Ono combo block gave the 'Cats the 25-21 victory.
Sonoma State started the second set building an 11-7 advantage, but aces by Keeve and Esti Wilson plus kills by Shepherd, Keeve, and Wright spearheaded an 11-4 Chico State run to put the Wildcats on top 18-15. The Seawolves came back to tie the score at 20-all, then promptly committed a pair of miscues to give the 'Cats a 22-20 lead. Sonoma State was able to regroup and dominate the set's late stages, though, scoring five of the last six points to pull out a 25-23 win and even the match.
Chico State never trailed in the pivotal third set, using aces by Wright and Gretta Kirkby, solo blocks by Wright, Shepherd, and Keeve, and kills by Jacome, Shepherd, Ono, and Wright to race out to a 13-4 lead. After Sonoma State scored five unanswered points to pull to within four, the Wildcats took firm control of the contest with a 7-0 run—Fogel delivered a trio of aces during the stretch—to go up 20-9. The Seawolves would get no closer than seven the rest of the way, as the 'Cats finished the set on a 5-1 run to win handily 25-14.
The fourth set was a back-and-forth affair with Sonoma State grabbing a quick 6-3 lead, only to see Chico State fashion an 8-2 run to move out in front 11-8. The Seawolves retook the lead at 14-13 and were still ahead 18-16 when the Wildcats made their move—an ace by Keeve, a Kirkby block, and kills by Wright and Jacome highlighted a huge 6-2 run to put Chico State in front 22-20. The Seawolves tried to battle back, but they committed two costly errors down the stretch, and Wright provided the winning kill as the Wildcats held on for the 25-22 win and the match victory.
The Chico State volleyball team plays its final home games of the regular season next week, hosting San Francisco State Wednesday and Cal State Monterey Bay on Saturday. Both matches begin at 7 p.m. in Acker Gym.
