LA JOLLA—The Chico State volleyball team delivered another productive performance Friday at the D2 West Region Showcase, and won its third straight decision in the process. Four Wildcats—led by Bekah Boyle, who matched her career high with 23 kills—generated double-digit kills en route to a four-set, 25-12, 27-29, 25-20, 25-20 victory over Academy of Art at RIMAC Arena.
With its third straight win, Chico State saw its record improve to 4-3 on the season.
Ten of Boyle's 23 kills came in the match's opening set, and the senior closed out the day by flooring seven winners in the fourth and final set. Makaela Keeve racked up 17 kills while adding four blocks; Kim Wright contributed 11 kills, eight blocks, and a pair of service aces, and Grace Shepherd delivered 10 kills as the 'Cats posted a rock-solid .398 hitting percentage against the Urban Knights.
Freshman setter Emma Hirschkorn saw her first action of the 2019 campaign, piling up 39 assists in three sets. Brooke Fogel led the Wildcats with 21 digs on the afternoon.
Academy of Art led 5-4 early in the first set, but five kills by Boyle and two from Keeve powered an 8-1 Wildcats run to put Chico State on top 12-6. The Urban Knights closed to within 14-10 before the 'Cats put the hammer down—two aces and a kill by Wright, combined with kills by Boyle, Keeve, and Shepherd, anchored an 11-2 run as Chico State cruised to the 25-12 victory.
The Wildcats trailed for nearly the entire second set, but still had a chance to win. Academy of Art grabbed an early lead and maintained its advantage until late in the contest, when multiple kills by Boyle and Shepherd and a Boyle/Keeve combo block helped the 'Cats pull even with the Urban Knights at 23-all. Academy of Art scored the next point, but Chico State not only survived set point with a Wright kill, but took a 25-24 lead courtesy of a Mikeila Banda ace.
The Urban Knights scored to keep the set going, and went on to score three of the final four points to edge the 'Cats 29-27 and even the match.
Chico State never trailed in the third set, racing out to a 10-6 lead on the strength of kills by Wright, Shepherd, and Keeve. Academy of Art posted three unanswered points to trail by one, but an Evelyn Clonts kill triggered a 10-5 Wildcat run to make the score 20-14. Academy of Art closed to within 23-20, but a kill by Keeve and an Urban Knights miscue provided the 'Cats with the final points necessary to secure the 25-20 win.
Academy of Art was not going down without a fight, and bolted to an 8-2 lead in set number four. Chico State slowly chipped away, and with multiple kills by Keeve, an ace by Fogel, and a Clonts/Wright block, caught the Urban Knights at 13-all and briefly went out in front 14-13 when Clonts hammered her third kill of the afternoon.
Academy of Art went back on top, but it was short lived. With the score 17-16, Chico State scored nine of the final 12 points—Boyle dominating the stretch with five kills—and the Wildcats took the set 25-20 to win the match.
Chico State wraps up the D2 West Region Showcase Saturday with a 7:30 p.m. match against Concordia Irvine. Fans can follow the action online with Live Stats and live streaming video, available through the Wildcat Athletics website.
