SAN BERNARDINO—To advance past the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) quarterfinals and keep its season alive, the Chico State volleyball team knew it had to do something Thursday no one has done all year—beat the Coyotes of Cal State San Bernardino. Though facing the top-ranked team in the nation in postseason play may have proven intimidating for other teams, the Wildcats came prepared for battle, and made San Bernardino work to stay undefeated. But the 'Cats' 2019 campaign did come to a close Thursday, as the Coyotes bested Chico State 25-17, 26-24, 25-17 at Coussoulis Arena.
The Wildcats finish out the year with an overall record of 13-14, but despite finishing below .500 for the first time since 2004, Chico State still was able to reach postseason play for the fourth time in the last five years.
The 2019 season saw talented seniors Esti Wilson, Brooke Fogel, Bekah Boyle, and Kim Wright play their final matches in a Wildcat uniform. Wright leaves as the program's all-time service aces leader (152), and ranks in Chico State's career top 10 in hitting percentage (tied for second, .317), kills (seventh, 1,119), block assists (third, 273), block solos (fourth, 66), and total blocks (third, 339). Fogel finishes sixth all-time in digs (1,191) and fifth in digs per set (3.65). Boyle says goodbye to the Wildcats after racking up 921 career kills and 96 total blocks.
In what turned out to be the Wildcats' final match of the year, Makaela Keeve led the Wildcats with 10 kills Thursday. Wright had nine kills and an ace, with Boyle and Kelley Jacome contributing five kills apiece. Brooke Ono handed out 28 assists on the evening, with Fogel notching a team-high eight digs.
The opening set saw San Bernardino jump out in front early, and the Coyotes would never relinquish the lead. Chico State stayed within striking distance, as Wright followed up a kill with an ace to make it a 12-9 contest, but San Bernardino responded with 9-3 run to extend their advantage to 21-12. Wright, Boyle, Keeve, and Grace Shepherd landed late kills, but it wasn't enough to keep the Coyotes from rolling to the 25-17 victory.
With 17 ties and five lead changes, set number two was the most exciting of the match. San Bernardino led 12-10 when the Wildcats roared out in front on the strength of a 7-4 run—Jacome, Ono, and Keeve all contributed kills as Chico State took a 17-16 lead. The Coyotes immediately tied up the contest, and with the score knotted up a 21-all, a kill by Wright put the 'Cats back on top. But San Bernardino would spoil things for Chico State, coming back from a 23-22 deficit to score four of the last five points to pull out a 26-24 win.
San Bernardino took care of business in the third set, streaking out in front 11-5 and never seeing its lead seriously threatened. Kills by Wright, Boyle, and Shepherd trimmed the deficit to four at 15-11, only to see the Coyotes go on a 6-1 run to make the score 21-12 and all but putting the match away. The Wildcats kept swinging—down 22-14, Chico State scored three straight to make it a five point contest, but San Bernardino followed with three unanswered, giving the Coyotes the 25-17 win and the match victory.
Cal State San Bernardino now advances to the CCAA Tournament semifinals, and will take on No. 5 seed Cal State San Marcos Friday at 7:30 p.m.
