MERCED, Calif. — The Chico State volleyball team defeated UC Merced 3-2 on Friday in a non-conference match at the Gallo Recreation & Wellness Center, ending a six-match skid.
While this match will not count towards the CCAA standings, the Wildcats (5-11, 1-8 CCAA) and Bobcats (5-14, 2-7 CCAA) will go on the record next Thursday in Acker Gym.
The Wildcats moved from a one-point deficit to a 9-6 lead in the fifth set and closed the match with a 16-14 set win.
Kassandra Nall led the Wildcats with 15 kills, seven total blocks and 19.5 points, and added 12 digs. Nall's seven total blocks were a career high, the 12 digs were a season high and the 15 kills surpassed a season average of 9.8. Claire Nordeen finished with 41 assists, nine digs and eight kills. Jessica Ortiz collected 21 digs and served two aces, with the 21 digs exceeding a season average of 10.43. Wyievee Binda posted eight kills on .333 hitting with six total blocks. Binda's six total blocks were a career high, and she set a career high with 11.0 points. Whitney Fairfield recorded a season-high 11 kills, surpassing a season average of 5.53.
After the Bobcats scored the first two points of the opening set, Chico State answered with four straight on a Nall kill, an Ortiz ace, a Fairfield kill and a Jillian Davis kill to move in front 4-2. The Bobcats later built leads of 13-10 and 18-15 with points that included kills from Callie Neufeld, Morgan Wilson, Kylah Guzman and Ayana Ruffin, but the Wildcats tied it at 19-19 on a service error and a block by Binda and Nall, then went ahead 22-21 on consecutive kills from Binda and Nall. Wilson tied the set at 22 and Yahaira Vazquez put the Bobcats ahead 23-22, but Nall delivered back-to-back kills to give Chico State a 24-23 lead. After Neufeld tied it at 24, a Wilson attack error and Fairfield's kill from Nordeen closed a 26-24 set win.
The Wildcats moved in front 4-2 early in the second set after a Bobcats attack error and a Davis kill from Sophia Heller, but the Bobcats pulled even and later went ahead 10-7 behind a Kyra Miller kill and a Jazmine Banks service ace. After the Bobcats went back ahead 14-10, Davis' kill and Nall's ace helped Chico State get within 14-13, and Davis later added another kill before a Bobcats attack error tied the set at 15-15. Nordeen's kill and another Bobcats error put the Wildcats ahead 17-16, and Binda's kill from Nordeen tied it at 18-18 after the Bobcats had retaken the lead. The Bobcats moved from 18-18 to 23-18 with help from kills by Neufeld, Wilson and Natalie Riley, then closed the set 25-19 on Riley's kill from Banks.
Chico State opened the third set by scoring six of the first seven points, getting a Davis kill from Nordeen and blocks involving Nall with Binda and Fairfield to lead 6-1. The Bobcats later tied it 7-7 with a stretch that included kills by Vazquez and Neufeld and a Wilson ace, before the Wildcats moved back in front 9-7 on Fairfield's kill. The Bobcats answered with eight straight points to go from 9-7 down to a 15-9 lead, with Gianella Tijamo serving the final seven points of that run and Neufeld recording three kills in the stretch. Chico State cut the deficit to 17-14 on Heller and Nall kills and a Bobcats attack error, but the Bobcats pushed ahead 21-15 and closed the set 25-19 on Ruffin's kill after Binda's late kill made it 24-19.
Nall's kill started the fourth set for Chico State, and Ortiz followed with a service ace as the Wildcats moved ahead 5-0 behind three Bobcats attack errors. After the Bobcats took the next two points, Chico State pushed the margin back out with a Nall kill, a Sinam Minasian ace and consecutive Nordeen kills during a stretch that made it 12-3. The teams traded points through the middle of the set before the Wildcats added another Minasian ace and a Bobcats attack error to reach 20-11. The Bobcats got back within 22-15, but Fairfield and Nall answered with kills before a final Bobcats attack error closed the Wildcats' 25-16 set win.
Chico State opened the fifth set with consecutive blocks by Binda and Nall for a 2-0 lead, but the Bobcats answered with three straight points to move ahead 3-2. The set stayed tight through 6-6 before the Wildcats scored four straight, using kills from Fairfield, Heller and Binda plus a Binda-Nordeen block to build a 10-6 lead. Chico State held a 14-11 edge after Davis' kill, but Neufeld put down three straight kills for the Bobcats to tie the set at 14-14. An attack error gave the Wildcats set point, and Fairfield finished a Nordeen assist for the 16-14 fifth-set win.
Up next, Chico State visits CCAA newcomer and undefeated No. 4 Fresno Pacific at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Special Events Center in Fresno, Calif.
