The scouting reports indicated that Chico State and Cal State San Marcos were two very evenly matched volleyball teams. The play and the scoring Saturday afternoon at Acker Gym certainly backed up that assessment, as the Wildcats and Cougars played three incredibly close sets, with the largest lead of the entire match being just five points. In the end, San Marcos was able to squeak out a victory in each set, sweeping the 'Cats 25-22, 25-22, 25-22.
Chico State suffered its third straight setback to dip to 3-10 on the season and 1-5 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Cal State San Marcos won its third consecutive match to improve to 5-8 overall and 4-2 in conference play.
Zoe DiNardo was the lone Chico State hitter to register double-digit kills Saturday, flooring 12 winners on the afternoon. Cassidy Herbert and Nya Prescott turned in the best efforts of their short Wildcat careers, adding nine and six kills, respectively, while Bree Rodriguez and Lauryn Osendorf contributed five kills apiece.
Brooke Ono dished out 33 assists in the three sets; Lexi Carpenter led the 'Cats with 14 digs.
Cal State San Marcos grabbed an early 9-5 lead in the first set, but Chico State used two kills by Herbert, one each from Rodriguez and DiNardo, and an Ono/Rodriguez combo block to highlight an 8-3 run to put the Wildcats in front 13-12. The Cougars came back to knot up the contest, and it was still tied at 15-all when San Marcos went of a 7-2 run to go up 22-17. The 'Cats scored five of the next six points—Rodriguez registered a kill and an ace, with Herbert and DiNardo also notching kills—to pull to within 23-22, but the Cougars took advantage of a Chico State miscue and a kill by Trinity Barr to end it, prevailing 25-22.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second set, only to see San Marcos score seven unanswered points to go on top. The 'Cats were still down 10-5 when they began chipping away at the deficit, and on the strength of a Kate Beezer service ace and multiple kills by DiNardo, Prescott, and Rodriguez, outscored the Cougars 16-10 to take the lead 21-20. Chico State was still clinging to the lead when San Marcos posted the final four points of the set to win 25-22.
The third set was the tightest-played of the afternoon, with 18 tie scores and a dozen lead changes. The two teams went back-and-forth, but late in the contest the 'Cats had the upper hand, as a Herbert kill and Osendorf/Nariah Prescott combo block put Chico State on top 21-20. But for the third straight set, the Cougars delivered late, scoring three consecutive points to re-take the lead, then followed a DiNardo kill with a block and kill to come away with the 25-22 victory and the match sweep.
Chico State is on the road next week for a pair of CCAA contests. Thursday the Wildcats will be in Rohnert Park to take on Sonoma State, then Saturday head up to Arcata to battle Cal Poly Humboldt. First serve for both matches is 5 p.m.
