SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Chico State volleyball team rallied from a two-set deficit to stun Cal State San Marcos 3–2 (18–25, 19–25, 25–21, 25–16, 15–9) Saturday afternoon at The Sports Center. The comeback marked the first time since 2022 that the Wildcats have dropped the opening two sets and gone on to win a match.
After struggling to find rhythm early, Chico State hit .314 or better in each of the final three sets to complete the turnaround. The Wildcats improved to 10–13 overall and 6–10 in the CCAA, while San Marcos fell to 4–20 overall and 3–13 in conference play.
Notable Performances
– Maria Wahl – 20 kills (.333), 12 digs, 3 aces, 3 blocks, 25.0 points
– Claire Nordeen – 7 kills (.200), 44 assists, 16 digs, 7.0 points
– Cashe Olswang – 11 kills (.240), 4 blocks, 13.5 points
– Sophia Heller – 8 kills, 10 digs, 3 aces, 12.0 points
– Gwyneth Wentzel – 9 kills (.217), 7 digs, 1 block, 9.0 points
– Jessie Camarillo – 15 digs, 2 aces
Match Summary
Set 1 – Cal State San Marcos hit .375 and used an early 10–2 run to pull away, winning 25–18.
Set 2 – Chico fell behind 11–2 before narrowing the gap to six late, but the Cougars held on 25–19.
Set 3 – The Wildcats flipped the momentum with a .314 hitting mark and 16 kills, taking it 25–21.
Set 4 – Chico stayed hot offensively (.333) and controlled the set from start to finish for a 25–16 win.
Set 5 – The Wildcats carried the momentum through, hitting .444 in the deciding frame to complete the comeback 15–9.
By the Numbers
– Chico State hit .206 for the match, finishing with 61 kills and 50 assists
– The Wildcats' 61 kills are their most in a single match this season
– Chico finished with 70 digs and 10 service aces, marking back-to-back matches in double-digit aces
– Maria Wahl's 20 kills tied her season high, also matching her season-best 25.0 points
– Claire Nordeen's 44 assists marked her 13th 40-assist performance of the season
– Chico improved to 2–3 in deciding sets this year and extended its winning streak over San Marcos to three straight
Wildcat Whispers
– Chico State moves to 6–10 all-time against Cal State San Marcos
– It was the third meeting between the two teams to go five sets, with Chico now leading 2–1
– This marks the first time in program history Chico State has won three straight against the Cougars and the first season sweep between the two
– The last time Chico lost the first two sets and came back to win was September 16, 2022, against Cal State Monterey Bay
Up Next
Chico State returns home to Acker Gym to close the 2025 season, hosting Cal State East Bay on Thursday at 5 p.m. and San Francisco State on Saturday at 3 p.m.
