CHICO, Calif. – The Chico State volleyball team used balanced offense, efficient side-out play, and a dominant third set to sweep Cal State San Marcos (27–25, 25–17, 25–10) on Dig Pink Day at Acker Gym.
The Wildcats have now won back-to-back matches against the Cougars for the first time in program history and improve to 5–10 overall and 2–7 in the CCAA. The Cougars fall to 2–15 and 1–8.
Notable Performances
– Sophia Heller – 7 kills (.235), 14 digs, 2 aces, 10.0 points
– Cashe Olswang – 7 kills (.267), 2 blocks, 1 ace, 9.5 points
– Maria Wahl – 5 kills, 8 digs, 3 block assists, 9.0 points
– Claire Nordeen – 6 kills (.417), 23 assists, 8 digs, 1 ace, 7.5 points
– Gwyneth Wentzel – 6 kills (.462), 2 block assists, 8.0 points
Match Summary
Set 1: Chico held off a late push from the Cougars to win a back-and-forth opening set 27–25, with Nordeen and Wahl combining for key points down the stretch.
Set 2: The Wildcats controlled the tempo, going on a 10–2 run midway through the set to pull away 25–17.
Set 3: Chico exploded out of the gates, starting the set 7–0 behind Heller's serving and a dominant front row. The Wildcats hit .111 but held CSUSM to -.250 in the 25–10 clincher.
By the Numbers
– Chico State recorded 9.0 team blocks, its second-highest total of the season
– The Wildcats served a season-best 12 aces, led by Jessie Camarillo (3), Sophia Heller (2), and Claire Nordeen (1)
– Chico hit .205 for the match and held San Marcos to just .052 overall
– Set 3's 15-point win marked Chico's largest set margin of the season, surpassing the previous 12-point win over Jessup
– Claire Nordeen now has 1,124 career assists, inching closer to the program's top-10 all-time list. She is currently chasing Melanie Ardans (1989), who reached 1,542 in the pre-rally scoring era.
Wildcat Whispers
– Despite the win, Chico State still trails the all-time series vs. Cal State San Marcos 5–10
– It was the first time Chico State has ever won back-to-back matches against the Cougars
– This marks the third time in program history Chico has swept San Marcos—the first since November 5, 2016
– It's also the third sweep of the season for the Wildcats
– Set 3's 25–10 result is Chico State's largest set win this season
Up Next
The Wildcats hit the road to face Cal Poly Humboldt on Thursday at 5 p.m. in a return to Lumberjack Arena, where they competed in the Redwood Coast Classic earlier this fall.