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Wildcats' Regional bid hinges on final regular season matches
To reach the NCAA Championship Tournament, the Wildcats need to finish the regular season with wins over Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State L.A. this weekend.
11/12/2009 3:14:45 PM
CHICO, Calif. – The Chico State volleyball team has certainly exceeded expectations in 2009, winning more matches than any Wildcat squad since 1993. But despite the success, the ’Cats’ ultimate goal of a fourth straight NCAA Championship Tournament bid will all come down to their performance in the regular season’s final weekend as the ’Cats hit the road to take on Cal State Dominguez Hills Friday and Cal State L.A. on Saturday.
Winners of 10 of its last 14 matches, Chico State – 22-8 overall and 13-7 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) – are ranked No. 25 in the Bison/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll and 10th in the latest NCAA West Region poll. The pressure is now on the Wildcats to win out this weekend – but even with victories over Dominguez Hills and Cal State L.A., Chico State’s postseason fate will be in the hands of the NCAA selection committee, which will announce regional qualifiers Sunday night.
Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-26 overall, 1-19 CCAA) is wrapping up a tough season that has seen the Toros drop their last 17 contests. In their lone meeting of the season, the Wildcats beat Dominguez Hills in three sets October 10 at Acker Gym.
Cal State L.A. (20-8 on the season, 16-5 in the CCAA) will be well rested when Chico State visits the Eagles Nest on Saturday – the Golden Eagles beat Cal State Stanislaus Wednesday and are idle on Friday. Cal State L.A., sitting in third place in the conference standings, currently holds the No. 20 position in the Bison/AVCA national poll and is ranked sixth in the West Region. Earlier this season, the Golden Eagles came to Chico and beat the Wildcats in four sets October 9.
Several Wildcats continue to rank high on the CCAA’s individual player stat sheet – Makenzie Snyder heads into the final weekend of the regular season No. 1 in the conference (and third in the nation) in kills per set with an average of 4.74; Snyder also leads the CCAA in points per set (5.24). Gillian Heydorff is fifth in points per set (4.35) and is sixth in the CCAA in both kills per set (3.79) and digs per set (3.69). Sable Villaescusa is fourth in the conference in average assists per set (10.48), while Jessica Leek ranks second in the CCAA in service aces per set (0.44).
Friday and Saturday’s matches are both scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Wildcat fans can follow the action via Live Stats available on both the Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State L.A. websites. Friday’s match against the Toros will also be nationally televised live via Internet TV on the Toro Sports Network. Fans can watch free of charge with no registration required – www.GoToros.com/Live will provide coverage online beginning at about 6:45 p.m.
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Wildcats of the Week
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Women's Basketball
Before the 2009-10 even got underway, Chico State women’s basketball Head Coach Brian Fogel described junior guard Natasha Smith as “the key to our success.” Truer words have never spoken, as Smith has turned her already impressive game up a notch to lead the Wildcats to the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional title game. Her efforts have netted the Sacramento native her third Wildcat of the Week honor this season.
Smith earned All-NCAA Championship Tournament West Region Team honors by averaging 14 points, 7.7 assists, five rebounds, and three steals per game during the Wildcats’ run to the Sweet 16 and West Region title game.
Friday against third seeded Western Washington, Smith scored 15 points, snared four rebounds, dished out five assists and made three steals as the Wildcats downed the Vikings 79-68. Saturday versus Humboldt State, the All-CCAA first team selection was even better, posting her second career double-double with 15 points and 10 assists, while hauling in a team-high eight rebounds and five steals in Chico State’s come-from-behind 86-76 victory over the Lumberjacks. Monday, in the regional title game against Seattle Pacific, Smith finished with 12 points, eight assists, three rebounds, and a steal while drawing the defensive assignment against Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year Daesha Henderson and limiting her to just five points on 1-of-10 shooting.
Smith, who led the CCAA in free throw percentage (.824) and assists (134), also led the ’Cats in scoring (11.5 points per game) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.44). She continues to move up the Chico State career records ladder with each contest. With one year of eligibility still remaining, Smith ranks ninth all-time in scoring, sixth in assists, seventh in free throws and 10th in career steals and 3-pointers.
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Baseball
Chico State right fielder Adam Arakawa continued his torrid start to 2010 with four more multi-hit games, finishing 9-for-15, to lead the Wildcats to a series split a four-game series at Cal State San Bernardino over the weekend. The CCAA Player of the Week one week ago, he's been dubbed the Wildcat of the Week this week.
Arakawa doubled twice, scored six times, drove in three runs, and walked three times against San Bernardino. He also recorded the 100th hit of his career and has now registered two or more hits in eight straight games and 12 of the last 13 to raise his average to .493. He is hitting .633 over his past eight games and .571 over his last 13.
In Friday’s 8-5 victory, Arakawa went 2-for-5 and scored a run. He also singled in the 10th as the Wildcats scored three runs to win. He went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored as the Wildcats dropped first game of a doubleheader Saturday. In the second game, Arakawa went 3-for-3 with a walk, double, run and two RBI. His third hit of that game was the 100th of his Chico State career. Arakawa finished the weekend by going 2-for-3 with two walks, two runs scored, and an RBI in Chico State’s 20-5 win.
Arakawa leads the Wildcats in batting average (.493) hits (37), runs (33) walks (17) total bases (59), slugging percentage (.787) and on-base percentage (.581). His batting average and slugging percentage are both tops in the CCAA.
Arakawa was the West Region Gold Glove recipient last season and an Honorable Mention All-American, and has not committed an error in 44 chances this season.
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2.24.10 | Women's Volleyball
CHICO – The annual Chico State Grass Volleyball Tournament, sponsored by the Wildcat women’s volleyball team in association with Volleyzoo, is set to take place Saturday and Sunday, May 1-2. Open to the public, the event offers two days of fun in the sun, spirited competition and prizes.
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2.24.10 | Women's Volleyball
CHICO – The annual Chico State Volleyball Coaches Clinic, hosted by Wildcat women’s volleyball Head Coach Cody Hein, is set to take place Friday, April 30 at Acker Gym on the Chico State campus. Volleyball coaches of all levels are invited to be part of this free, informative two-hour clinic that will offer practical coaching instruction and technique on key phases of the game.
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1.14.10 | Women's Volleyball
CHICO - Chico State Head women's volleyball Coach Cody Hein has announced an open tryout on Feb. 26 from 3:30-6. All prospective athletes must bring proof of a physical within the last six months to participate. The Chico State volleyball program is one of the best in the NCAA Division II West Region, having earned trips to the NCAA Championship Tournament in four of the past five seasons. The Wildcats are coming off a 23-9 season.
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12.4.09 | Women's Volleyball
HILLSDALE, Mich. – Chico State’s Makenzie Snyder provided the kills in 2009, and as a result of her record-setting accomplishments, the hits just keep on comin’. The Wildcats’ talented outside hitter, already the recipient of four postseason accolades, was awarded a fifth Friday when she was named to the NCAA/Daktronics Division II Volleyball All-America Third Team.
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11.30.09 | Women's Volleyball
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Chico State’s Makenzie Snyder accomplished a lot in the just-completed 2009 volleyball season – besides etching her name in the school record books and leading the Wildcats to a 23-9 mark, the sophomore outside hitter has been honored with All-CCAA, American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and NCAA/Daktronics All-West Region First Team selections. Monday, Makenzie received another national accolade, and it’s her biggest yet – the AVCA Division II All-America Committee named Snyder to its 2009 All-American Second Team.
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11.24.09 | Women's Volleyball
SPOKANE, Wash. – Chico State outside hitter Makenzie Snyder put up statistics during the 2009 season that would look impressive as career numbers for just about any other player – besides setting a new Wildcat record for kills per set, Snyder led the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) in three offensive categories and was among the top hitters in the country in kills per set. So it came as no surprise when the Chico State sophomore was named Tuesday to both the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and NCAA/Daktronics All-West Region First Teams. Wildcat teammates Gillian Heydorff and Sable Villaescusa also received some regional recognition – Heydorff was selected to the NCAA/Daktronics All-West Region Second Team, while Villaescusa earned an AVCA Honorable Mention.
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11.19.09 | Women's Volleyball
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – They teamed up for nearly 1,000 kills, 760 digs and 78 service aces, so it was only appropriate that Makenzie Snyder and Gillian Heydorff were acknowledged together for their exceptional efforts. Thursday the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) included Snyder and Heydorff among 13 players selected to the All-CCAA First Team for the 2009 season.
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