CHICO, Calif. – The Chico State volleyball team closed the 2025 season in perfect Senior Day fashion, knocking off San Francisco State 3–1 (25–20, 25–20, 10–25, 25–20) Saturday afternoon at Acker Gym. The victory snapped a seven-match skid to the Gators dating back to 2021, extended the Wildcats' home winning streak to six—their longest since 2016—and capped the program's best season since 2019.
The win lifted Chico State to 12–13 overall and 8–10 in the CCAA, marking a turnaround season built on depth, defense, and determination under interim head coach Ricci Luyties.
Notable Performances
– Maria Wahl – 13 kills (.464), 12 digs, 1 block, 14.0 points
– Sophia Heller – 11 kills (.216), 21 digs, 12.0 points
– Gwyneth Wentzel – 10 kills (.273), 6 digs, 1 block, 11.5 points
– Cashe Olswang – 9 kills, 3 blocks, 10.0 points
– Claire Nordeen – 3 kills (.600), 30 assists, 18 digs, 3.0 points
– Jessie Camarillo – 18 digs, 7 assists, 1 ace
Match Summary
Set 1: The Wildcats opened Senior Day with composure and energy, feeding off the Acker Gym crowd. Wahl and Heller combined for eight kills, while Nordeen's quick tempo at setter helped Chico jump out to a 17–12 lead. San Francisco State closed to within 21–19, but clutch back-row defense from Camarillo and a late Olswang ace sealed the 25–20 win.
Set 2: Chico carried its momentum forward with a balanced attack, spreading the offense across five players. The Wildcats hit .265 in the frame, with Wentzel and Olswang combining for five kills and Heller adding two key digs in transition. A long rally punctuated by a Wahl kill pushed Chico to another 25–20 decision and a 2–0 lead.
Set 3: The Gators regrouped and flipped the momentum, capitalizing on early Chico miscues to open a 9–2 lead. Despite steady defense from Camarillo and quick sideouts by Wahl, San Francisco State controlled the middle of the set and rolled 25–10 to extend the match.
Set 4: The Wildcats reset and reasserted control. Wentzel's right-side swings and Nordeen's steady playmaking kept the attack clicking, while Olswang added back-to-back kills to make it 15–10. With the crowd on its feet, two straight Wahl kills closed it out 25–20 to finish the season on a high note.
By the Numbers
– Team hitting: .255 (57–18–153) with 51 assists
– Digs: Chico State 86, San Francisco State 73
– Nordeen recorded her 15th double-double of the season (30 assists, 18 digs)
– Camarillo finished with 18 digs and 1,108 career digs (9th all-time at Chico State)
– Wahl led all players with 13 kills on .464 hitting
– Home streak: Chico State's six straight home wins mark its longest streak since 2016
Wildcat Whispers
– The win snapped a seven-match losing streak to San Francisco State; Chico's previous win was Nov. 6, 2019
– Chico State improves to 45–28 all-time against the Gators and is 14–14 in four-set meetings
– Claire Nordeen ends her sophomore season with 795 assists and 1,453 career assists, within 89 of the program's top-10 list
– Jessie Camarillo became the 10th Wildcat to reach 1,000 career digs, finishing 9th all-time with 1,108
