Chico State volleyball head coach Tommy Gott was extremely pleased with the intensity his Wildcats displayed on the court Friday, giving perennial conference powerhouse Cal State San Bernardino all it could handle from first serve to last. Unfortunately, the 'Cats' spirited play was not enough to topple the 13th-ranked Coyotes, which registered a 25-16, 25-19, 25-23 victory at Acker Gym.
Despite turning in one of its best matches in weeks, Chico State dropped its eighth straight decision to slip to 3-15 on the season and 1-10 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Cal State San Bernardino won its sixth match in a row to improve to 15-3 overall and 9-2 in conference play.
Brooklynn Anderson led the Chico State offense with a season-high nine kills while adding three blocks in the contest. Taylor Whyte collected five kills—the most of her Chico State career—to go along with three blocks and 13 digs. The Wildcats also got solid contributions from Bree Rodriguez (four kills, four blocks), Zoe DiNardo (four kills and one block), and Nariah Prescott (four kills). Lauryn Osendorf chipped in three blocks and an ace to the 'Cats' attack.
Brooke Ono and Caitlyn Eichhorst combined to dole out 22 assists, with Eichhorst adding a pair of aces. Lexi Carpenter racked up a baker's dozen in digs while also landing two aces.
Chico State scored the first two points of the contest on an Anderson kill and a Whyte/Osendorf combo block, but San Bernardino used a 9-1 run to take a lead it would not relinquish. The Wildcats were down 18-9 before pulling to within six with a 6-3 mini-run, highlighted by a Whyte kill, a Jessie Camarillo ace, and combo blocks by Osendorf/Anderson and Whyte/Rodriguez, to make the score 21-15. The Coyotes put a stop to the rally and the set by scoring four of the final five points to prevail 25-16.
Set number two was a more tightly-played affair, with the 'Cats jumping out to a 7-4 lead on the strength of kills by Prescott, DiNardo, Anderson, and Ono. Chico State was still up three at 13-10 when San Bernardino used a 13-4 run to build a 23-17 lead, an advantage that eventually became a 25-19 Coyotes win.
San Bernardino was smelling sweep when they raced out to a 10-5 lead in the third set. Down but certainly not out, Chico State rebounded to score seven of the next eight points—Whyte and Anderson coming through with kills, and Rodriguez and Anderson ringing up a pair of combo blocks—to put the 'Cats in front 12-11. Thanks to two Carpenter aces and kills by Prescott and Rodriguez, the Wildcats extended their advantage to 18-14, but the Coyotes clawed back to go out in front 21-19. Chico State twice cut the deficit to one down the stretch, but weren't be able to catch San Bernardino in crunch time. The Wildcats survived two match points on a White kill and Eichhorst ace, but a kill by Savannah Hoffman gave the Coyotes the hard-fought 25-23 win and the sweep.
Chico State wraps up the weekend home stand Saturday against No. 18 Cal Poly Pomona (15-3, 9-2 CCAA). First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Acker Gym. Fans unable to attend in person can follow the action online with Live Stats and live streaming video on the CCAA Network using links available at the same location. Accessing the live video stream requires a monthly subscription fee.
