LA JOLLA The Chico State volleyball team knew its weekend road trip would be a tough one, going up against two of the hottest teams in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). After taking Cal State East Bay to five sets before falling to the Pioneers Friday, the ¹Cats looked to earn a split of its NorCal-SoCal road swing Saturday against UC San Diego. It was not to be, though, as the host Tritons avenged an early season loss to Chico State by sweeping the Wildcats 13-25, 19-25, 19-25 at RIMAC Arena in La Jolla.
With Saturday¹s setback, Chico State dropped to 11-13 on the season and 6-12 in the CCAA. UC San Diego won its eighth straight match to improve to 15-7 overall and 12-6 in conference play.
Alex Shurtz was the lone Wildcat with double-digit kills, hammering down 11 non-returnables. Sable Villaescusa handed out 28 assists on the night, while Jessica Simms collected a team-high 11 digs. Roxanne Brunsting led the victorious Tritons with 11 kills and 22 assists, with teammate Katie Condon also registering a double-double with 10 kills and 14 assists.
Chico State jumped out to an early lead in the first set on the strength of two Shurtz kills and one by Crystal Trifeletti. But with the score tied at five-all, UC San Diego ripped off a 13-1 run to go up 16-4 and take firm control of the set. Shurtz, Jacqueline Johnson, Jessica Leek and Makenzie Fahnestock all provided late kills for the ¹Cats, but Chico State had just
too much ground to make up and not enough time to do itSUC San Diego
breezing to the 25-13 win.
The Tritons grabbed a 4-1 lead to begin the second set, but the Wildcats scored six of the next seven points on two Leek kills, one apiece by Trifeletti and Kayla Baumgardner and a Simms service ace to go up 7-5. UC San Diego answered by putting together a sizeable 11-4 run to take a 16-11 lead, and ultimately extended its advantage to 22-15. Chico State made some noise late in the set, with Johnson, Baumgardner and Trifeletti all contributing kills, but again it wasn¹t enough as the Tritons took the set 25-19.
The third set was a tightly played affair early on, with neither team leading by more than two points. With the contest tied at nine apiece, UC San Diego scored four unanswered points to go up 13-9. The ¹Cats clawed back kills by Johnson and Shurtz and blocks by Shurtz and Trifeletti brought Chico State to within one at 16-15. The Tritons promptly reeled off six
straight points to extend their lead to 22-15, and despite a late kill by Baumgardner and blocks by Johnson and Villaescusa, the Wildcats could not avoid the match sweep, as a Kaitlin Potter kill put the finishing touches on UC San Diego¹s 25-19 victory.
The Wildcats return to Acker Gym next weekend for their final home matches of the season. Friday Chico State hosts Cal Poly Pomona, then take on conference leader Cal State San Bernardino Saturday. First serve for both matches is set for 7 p.m.
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