Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 HONOLULU—The Chico State volleyball team fought to the very end not once, but twice Friday during second day action at the Hawaii Challenge. Fresh off Thursday's season-opening five-set victory over Minot State, the Wildcats went the distance with both Hawaii Hilo and Hawaii Pacific, but came up short of victory both times. The 'Cats came back from two sets down against Hawaii Hilo, only to fall 13-25, 15-25, 25-21, 25-20, 12-15, and later in the day saw Hawaii Pacific rally to take the final two sets to upend Chico State 22-25, 27-25, 25-21, 23-25, 12-15 at The Shark Tank in Honolulu.
 
Though Chico State was unable to come up with a win Friday, several Wildcats put up huge numbers in the box scores. Kim Wright totaled a combined 37 kills—including a career-high 28 against Hawaii Pacific—to go along with 12 blocks and 26 digs. Makaela Keeve had 33 kills on the day, and bettered her one day old career high with 21 kills against Hawaii Pacific. Keeve also posted five blocks and 23 digs.
 
Bekah Boyle added 24 kills and four blocks for the 'Cats Friday, while Gretta Kirkby collected 15 kills. Brooke Ono dished out 101 assists over the two matches, with Brooke Fogel adding a combined 30 digs as Chico State slipped to 1-2 on the season.
 
In Friday's afternoon match, Hawaii Hilo dominated the first set, snapping a 3-all tie with a 6-0 run and never looked back. Chico State had trouble generating a consistent offensive attack, scoring consecutive points just twice in the entire set. Despite three kills apiece by Keeve and Boyle, the Vulcans quickly closed things out on a 6-2 run to cruise to the 25-13 victory.
 
Hawaii Hilo jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the second set, and after the Wildcats closed to within 7-5, the Vulcans ripped off a 7-2 run to extend its advantage to 14-7. Kills by Keeve, Boyle, and Wright helped the 'Cats whittle the deficit down to 20-15, but Hawaii Hilo promptly scored five unanswered points to take the set 25-15.
 
The Wildcats came out swinging in the third set. Fueled by four Kirkby kills and a Fogel ace, Chico State raced out to a 10-7 lead. Hawaii Hilo jumped on top 12-11 thanks to a 5-1 run, but the 'Cats responded with five straight points—three coming on kills by Keeve and Boyle—to grab a 16-12 lead. Three more Kirkby kills stretched Chico State's advantage to seven, only to see the Vulcans reel off five straight winners to trail by just two at 23-21. The Wildcats would not wilt, however, as a Hawaii Hilo serving error and a Keeve kill provided the points necessary for Chico State to post the 25-21 victory.
 
The Wildcats led for nearly all of the fourth set, and started by using kills by Boyle, Kirkby, Keeve, and Evelyn Clonts to build a 14-10 lead. Hawaii Hilo hung around, twice cutting the deficit to two. With the score 21-19, the 'Cats closed out the set on a 4-1 run, as a solo block by Wright and kills by Keeve and Kirkby cemented Chico State's 25-20 win and setting up a fifth and deciding set.
 
Four Hawaii Hilo miscues, a Boyle ace, and a kill by Clonts gave the 'Cats an early 6-2 lead in the final set. Three kills by Wright and one by Keeve helped the 'Cats maintain their four-point advantage, but the lead—and the match—got away in rapid-fire fashion. The Vulcans scored four straight to tie the score at 11-all, and following a kill by Keeve that briefly put Chico State back in front, Hawaii Hilo tore off a decisive 4-0 run to capture the set 15-12 and win the match.
 
The Wildcats' evening contest against Hawaii Pacific began with the host Sharks jumping out to an 11-6 lead, forcing Chico State into immediate catch-up mode. Keeve connected for three kills and an ace, but Hawaii Pacific was slowly able to stretch its advantage to seven. Down 21-14, the 'Cats made the contest interesting, pulling to within 24-22 thanks to a Keeve ace, a Wright kill and solo block, and kills by Keeve, Boyle, and Kirkby. The late comeback came up short, though, as the Sharks scored the final point to post the 25-22 victory.
 
In the second set, Wright accounted for all the early Chico State offense, drilling five kills to give the Wildcats a 5-4 lead. Two kills by Keeve and an Ono ace kept the 'Cats on top, but Hawaii Pacific was able to eventually catch Chico State and grab a 13-12 advantage. The Wildcats responded by spinning off a 5-1 run—Boyle and Wright each had kills, and combined on a block—to put Chico State back in front 17-14.
 
The Sharks scored the next three points to tie up the contest, but a Keeve kill and Ono ace put the Wildcats up 19-17. The lead swung back to Hawaii Pacific courtesy of a 4-0 run, but the 'Cats answered with kills by Wright, Keeve, and Kirkby to square the score at 23. The Sharks had two chances to put the contest away, but Chico State survived both set points, and kills by Keeve and Boyle proved to be the difference in the Wildcats' hard-fought 27-25 win.
 
Chico State roared out of the gates in the third set, as Wright floored two winners and had a hand in two blocks to build an early 6-2 lead. Hawaii Pacific scored four straight points to pull even, and the score was still deadlocked at 10-all when the Wildcats took the lead for good: Wright, Boyle, and Keeve each contributed multiple kills, and an Ono ace highlighted a 12-7 run to put Chico State in the driver's seat at 22-17. The Sharks pulled to within three points three times down the stretch, but Wright removed any suspense with two late kills to give the 'Cats the 25-21 victory.
 
The fourth set saw kills by Wright, Keeve, and Boyle power the Wildcats to an early 7-6 advantage. Hawaii Pacific netted five unanswered points to go up 11-7, and would not relinquish the lead for the rest of the set. The Sharks were on top 20-14 when Chico State made a late charge, with kills by Boyle and Grace Shepherd highlighting a 8-3 run and pulling the 'Cats to within one at 23-22. The Wildcats were able to survive one set point, but Hawaii Pacific successfully posted the all-important final point to win 25-23 and send the match to a fifth set.
 
The decider was a tightly-played affair, to say the least. Set five featured seven ties and three lead changes before Hawaii Pacific scored three straight points to go up 10-7. Chico State scrambled back, combining a Sharks error and kills by Keeve and Clonts to knot up the contest. Hawaii Pacific answered with four straight points to put the 'Cats on the brink, and though a Keeve kill and Keeve/Clonts combo block kept Chico State alive, a Perla Escobar kill provided the Sharks with the final point needed for Hawaii Pacific to win the set 15-12 and the match.  
 
Chico State wraps up the Hawaii Challenge Saturday, moving to McCabe Gymnasium to take on the Silverswords of Chaminade. The match begins at 10 p.m. Pacific time; fans can follow the action online with Live Stats and live streaming video, available through the Wildcat Athletics website.