SAN FRANCISCO — The Chico State volleyball team lost its match to San Francisco State in straight sets (21-25, 18-25, 18-25) in 'The Swamp' on Saturday.
The Wildcats totaled 35 kills and hit .142, while San Francisco State finished with 44 kills and a .277 hitting percentage.
The Wildcats (4-7, 1-4 CCAA), with a record of 0-0, were led by Sophia Heller, who had 10 kills and added seven digs and one block assist. Claire Nordeen finished with 24 assists, eight digs, three kills and one service ace. Wyievee Binda posted five kills on six attacks while hitting .833 and added one block assist. Maria Wahl recorded five kills and nine digs.
Chico State opened the first set with Nordeen's service ace, Kassandra Nall's kill from Jessica Ortiz, and a San Francisco State attack error for a 3-0 lead, but San Francisco State answered to tie the set at 4-4, 5-5, 7-7 and 8-8.
After the Wildcats went ahead 12-10, San Francisco State moved in front 13-12 on Rubi Harrington's ace and a block by Lilly Rix and Aidan Goodrich, then took a 16-13 edge with Alana Larson's kill, a block by Melanie Hewlett and Rix, and Larson's ace.
The 'Cats came back from 20-17 to tie it at 20-20, with Nordeen recording consecutive kills and Heller finishing the tying point from Nordeen.
San Francisco State responded with three points for a 23-20 lead, and after Binda's kill cut it to 23-21, Larson delivered the final two kills to give San Francisco State the set, 25-21.
San Francisco State put the 'Cats in an early 6-0 deficit in the second set, starting with Grace Witcher's service ace and adding three kills from Aidan Goodrich and one from Alana Larson before Jillian Davis put the Wildcats on the board.
The teams traded points until San Francisco State stretched the margin to 13-4 with a Sophia Terry kill, Savanna FauntLeRoy ace, and Witcher kill, but the Wildcats took three of the next four points to make it 14-7.
San Francisco State moved ahead 17-9 on Rubi Harrington's ace before Chico State got consecutive kills from Davis, Whitney Fairfield and Davis to cut it to 17-12.
The Wildcats later got within 19-15, but San Francisco State pushed the lead back to 24-16 and, after two Chico State points, closed the set 25-18 on Larson's kill.
San Francisco State put the Wildcats in an early hole by scoring the first nine points of the third set, getting two aces from Rubi Harrington and kills from Aidan Goodrich, Alana Larson and Lilly Rix before Wahl got Chico State on the board at 9-1.
The 'Cats answered an 11-1 deficit with a service error, a Heller kill, and a San Francisco State attack error to reach 11-4, but San Francisco State later moved ahead 16-7 behind consecutive kills by Grace Witcher.
Chico State cut the margin to 19-15 on kills by Heller and Nordeen, then got late points from Binda and a block by Heller and Binda, but San Francisco State closed the set 25-18 on a Paige Moyneur kill.
Up next, the Wildcats host Cal State LA on Friday at 5 p.m. at Acker Gym.
