Arcata, Calif. – In a dramatic five-set thriller at the Redwood Coast Classic, the Chico State volleyball team rallied twice and delivered late to outlast previously unbeaten Oklahoma Christian 3–2 (23–25, 25–17, 25–23, 20–25, 15–11) Friday evening at Lumberjack Arena.
The win lifts the Wildcats to 4–4 on the season and caps off a two-match Friday sweep after their earlier win over Dominican.
Notable Performances
Maria Wahl – 15 kills, 5 digs, 1 block, 15.5 points
Gwyneth Wentzel – 10 kills, 0 errors, .417 hitting, 3 blocks, 2 aces, 14.5 points
Jillian Davis – 12 kills, 13 digs, 1 block, 14.0 points
Claire Nordeen – 45 assists, 18 digs, 5 kills, 3 aces, 8.5 points
Kylie Matthews – 12 kills, .250 hitting, 16 digs, 2 blocks, 14.0 points
Wyievee Binda – 8 kills, .333 hitting, 1 block, 8.5 points
Jessie Camarillo – 20 digs, 9 assists, 2 aces
Jessica Ortiz – 15 digs, 3 aces
Hayley Frushon – 7 digs off the bench
Match Summary
Set 1: Oklahoma Christian used an early run to take control and hold off a late Wildcat push to win 25–23.
Set 2: Chico responded emphatically, led by Davis and Matthews, cruising to a 25–17 win behind three service aces.
Set 3: In a back-and-forth set with five ties, the Wildcats edged out a 25–23 win with late kills from Wahl and Binda.
Set 4: The Eagles forced a fifth set, using a key mid-set run to win 25–20 despite Chico tying the set at 19–19.
Set 5: Chico never trailed, breaking a 4–4 tie with a decisive 5–1 run and closing the match 15–11 with kills from Wentzel and Wahl.
By the Numbers
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Chico recorded a season-high 98 digs, led by Camarillo (20), Nordeen (18), Ortiz (15), and Matthews (16)
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The Wildcats had 11 service aces and 7 team blocks
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Wentzel hit .417 (10 kills, 0 errors) and Wahl led the team with 15 kills
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Nordeen dished out 45 assists for her sixth career 40+ match
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Chico hit .208 overall, including .318 in the decisive fifth set
Wildcat Whispers
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The match featured 24 ties and 10 lead changes across five sets
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Chico State handed Oklahoma Christian its first loss of the season
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Kylie Matthews recorded her first double-double of the year (12 kills, 16 digs)
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Gwyneth Wentzel has now hit .400 or better in four of her last five matches
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The Wildcats improved to 3–0 this season in five-set matches
