Fresno, Calif. – In a thrilling five-set battle that featured 31 tie scores and 14 lead changes, the Chico State volleyball team nearly capped its weekend at the Sunbird Classic with a win, but came up just short in a 3–2 loss to Westmont (25–19, 23–25, 25–23, 21–25, 15–13) Saturday morning at the Special Events Center.

The Wildcats move to 1–2 on the season, while Westmont improves to 3–0.

Notable Performances

Maria Wahl – Career-high 21 kills, 12 digs, .415 hitting, 21.5 points (first double-double since Oct. 18, 2024)
Kylie Matthews – Career-high 12 kills, .324 hitting, 6 digs, 1 block, 13.0 points
Claire Nordeen – 45 assists, 15 digs, 2 blocks, 6.0 points
Gwyneth Wentzel – 9 kills, .316 hitting, 3 digs, 1 ace, 10.5 points
Jessie Camarillo – 23 digs, 6 assists, 2 aces, perfect serve receive

Match Summary

Set 1: Westmont took early control and never trailed, capitalizing on Chico errors and blocking pressure to secure a 25–19 win.
Set 2: Wahl and Matthews powered a Wildcat turnaround, and a late 4–1 surge sealed the 25–23 win to even the match.
Set 3: Despite a .217 hitting effort from Chico, Westmont edged out a tight set 25–23 with late offense from Ceanna O'Loughlin.
Set 4: Chico responded again, riding a pair of Presser aces and a Camarillo ace in the closing stretch to win 25–21.
Deciding Set: Westmont pulled ahead 10–8, and though Chico tied it at 13-all, the Warriors secured the final two points for the match.

By the Numbers

• Chico State hit .344 in the fourth set, its best of the match

• The Wildcats tallied 59 kills, 76 digs, 7 aces, and 5 total blocks

• Claire Nordeen recorded her second straight match with 40+ assists

• Wahl's .415 hitting percentage came on 41 attempts with just four errors

• Chico had more service aces (7) and fewer service errors (6) than Westmont (7 aces, 10 errors)

Wildcat Whispers

• This was the first-ever meeting between Chico State and Westmont on the volleyball court

• Maria Wahl's 21-kill performance marks a new career high and her first double-double since Oct. 18, 2024, vs. Stanislaus State

• Kylie Matthews also set a new career-high with 12 kills, breaking the mark of 10 she set the night before vs. Fresno Pacific

• Jessie Camarillo has now recorded 20-plus digs for the second time in three matches to open the season—and the eighth time in her four-year Wildcat career

Up Next

Chico State travels north to compete in the Redwood Coast Classic, hosted by Cal Poly Humboldt. The Wildcats open with Dominican at 9 a.m. Friday, followed by Oklahoma Christian at 4:30 p.m.