SAN MARCOS—There are plenty of ways to win a volleyball match, but one of the surest roads to notching a "W" is to frequently earn points in bunches. Friday in Southern California, Cal State San Marcos was able to out "run" Chico State with a consistent series of consecutive scores, paving the way for the Cougars' four-set, 17-25, 25-21, 20-25, 22-25 victory over the Wildcats at The Sports Center on the Cal State San Marcos campus.
 
Friday's loss dropped Chico State to 5-8 on the season and 1-4 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Cal State San Marcos snapped a brief two-match skid to improve to 6-5 overall and 3-2 in conference play.
 
Makaela Keeve led the Wildcats with 14 kills, three blocks, and two service aces while posting an impressive .522 hitting percentage on the night. Kelley Jacome added a dozen kills, with Lizzie Wilson contributing nine kills and four blocks to the 'Cats' attack.
 
Brooke Ono doled out 39 assists for the Wildcats Friday, while Kennedy Greenwood and Ali Collins racked up 12 and 11 digs, respectively. Jane Mcnulty, seeing her first action of the season, aided the 'Cats with three aces, seven digs, and a kill.
 
Chico State used a Mcnulty ace and kills by Jacome, Keeve, and Zoe DiNardo to roar out to a 5-1 lead early in the first set. The Wildcats were still up 13-9 when Cal State San Marcos ripped off a 6-1 run to jump in front 16-14. The 'Cats came out of a timeout to score back-to-back points to knot up the contest, only to see the Cougars answer with a huge 9-1 run to win the set going away, 25-17.
 
San Marcos grabbed a 5-4 advantage in the second set. The Wildcats—highlighted by an Ono ace, a Wilson block, and kills by Wilson and Jacome—responded with seven unanswered points to take an 11-5 lead. The Cougars retaliated with a 6-1 run to pull to within 12-11, but a Collins ace, a pair of Keeve kills, and a Keeve solo block extended the 'Cats lead to 19-13. Chico State seemingly had the Cougars on the ropes, but with the score 24-16, San Marcos was able to survive five straight set points before a kill by Keeve gave the Wildcats the one point needed to secure the 25-21 win.
 
The Wildcats spotted the Cougars the first two points of the third set, then reeled off an 8-1 run—Greenwood recorded an ace, while Keeve, DiNardo, and Wilson hammered kills—to put Chico State on top by five. San Marcos used a 12-3 run to grab a 15-11 lead, only to see the Wildcats answer by scoring six of the seven points—Jacome, Ono, and Greenwood providing kills—to go back on top 17-16. The Cougars quickly tied things up, and with the score 19-all, San Marcos staged a 6-1 run down the stretch to pull out a 25-20 victory.
 
Another lengthy run by San Marcos put the 'Cats squarely behind the eight-ball in the fourth set. Chico State used a Keeve ace and kills by Jacome, Keeve, and Mcnulty to go out in front 5-2, but a 10-1 Cougars run put San Marcos on top 12-6. The Wildcats were forced to play catch-up the rest of the way, and they very nearly did—with the score 22-17, Chico State scored five of the next six points courtesy of kills by Jacome and Keeve and back-to-back aces by Mcnulty—to creep to within 23-22. The Cougars were able to quell the rally, however, scoring the next two points to win the set and match with a 25-22 victory.
 
Chico State concludes its weekend road trip Saturday, as the Wildcats head north to the Bay Area to take on Cal State East Bay. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. Fans can follow the action on the Internet with live streaming video and Live Stats. The online links are posted on the Chico State volleyball schedule page and home page calendar on the Wildcat Athletics website, at chicowildcats.com.
 
Those who plan on attending Saturday's contest in Hayward in person will be required, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face coverings while inside the gym.