CHICO, Calif. – The Chico State volleyball team kept its home momentum rolling Thursday night, outlasting Cal State East Bay 3–2 (22–25, 25–23, 25–27, 25–18, 15–9) at Acker Gym. The Wildcats' balanced offense and strong finish earned them their third five-set victory of the season and improved their CCAA record to 7–10, setting up a meaningful Senior Day finale on Saturday.
Notable Performances
– Maria Wahl – 17 kills (.224), 11 digs, 18.0 points
– Cashe Olswang – 14 kills (.257), 3 aces, 3 blocks, 19.5 points
– Claire Nordeen – 4 kills (.200), 43 assists, 16 digs, 1 ace, 5.0 points
– Gwyneth Wentzel – 10 kills (.269), 2 blocks, 10.0 points
– Sophia Heller – 8 kills, 13 digs, 8.0 points
– Jessie Camarillo – 25 digs, 9 assists
Match Summary
Set 1: Chico State jumped out to an early 11–7 lead behind a pair of kills from Maria Wahl and an ace by Cashe Olswang, but Cal State East Bay answered with five straight points to flip the momentum. The Pioneers built a 20–15 advantage, taking advantage of three Wildcat errors and strong serving from Addison Kranz. Chico rallied to within 23–22 thanks to a block by Wentzel and Nordeen, but East Bay closed the set with back-to-back kills to take it 25–22.
Set 2: The Wildcats responded with their most balanced frame of the night. Wahl and Olswang combined for 10 kills, while Nordeen's precise setting kept East Bay's defense guessing. Tied at 22-all, Chico pulled ahead on a big kill from Heller and a service ace by Camarillo. A Wahl swing down the line sealed the 25–23 win, leveling the match at 1–1.
Set 3: East Bay came out strong, grabbing a 17–11 lead before Chico clawed back. Olswang and Wentzel fueled a 6–1 Wildcat run that tied the set at 18–18. The two teams traded points until 25-all, with Heller delivering a key dig to keep the Wildcats alive. However, a pair of late East Bay kills and a Wildcat attack error allowed the Pioneers to take the marathon set 27–25.
Set 4: Facing elimination, Chico State played its most efficient set of the match. Nordeen distributed the offense beautifully, with four different Wildcats recording kills during an early 9–2 run. Wahl added three straight points on two kills and a block assist to extend the lead to 16–8. Chico never looked back, hitting .200 in the frame and finishing with a 25–18 win to force a deciding fifth set.
Set 5: The momentum carried into the final frame as Olswang's ace and a Wentzel kill gave Chico a quick 6–3 edge. Heller's defensive play at the back row sparked another surge, and Camarillo's diving dig set up a crucial Wahl kill to make it 10–6. The Wildcats maintained their composure down the stretch, closing out the comeback with a block from Wentzel and Olswang to secure the 15–9 victory and the match.
By the Numbers
– Chico State hit .190 for the match with 57 kills and 24 errors on 174 swings
– The Wildcats recorded 86 digs, their second-highest home total this season
– Chico finished with 5 service aces and 3.0 team blocks
– Claire Nordeen surpassed 750 assists on the year and logged her 14th double-double
– Maria Wahl posted her team-leading ninth double-double of the season
– Chico is now 3–3 in five-set matches this year and 5–3 at home overall
Wildcat Whispers
– Chico State moves to 37–21 all-time against Cal State East Bay dating back to 1985
– It was the fifth time the teams have gone five sets and the first since 2019; Chico improves to 2–3 in those matchups
– It marks the first five-set match played at home this season for the Wildcats
– This was Chico's sixth five-setter of the season and the second time playing back-to-back five-set matches
Up Next
Chico State wraps up the 2025 regular season on Saturday, hosting defending NCAA West Region champion and national runner-up San Francisco State at 3 p.m. inside Acker Gym. The Wildcats will honor their seven seniors before first serve, with the ceremony beginning at 2:49 p.m.
