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'Cats keep postseason hopes alive with four set victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills

Gillian Heydorff recorded her 57th career double-digit kill and 46th double-digit dig match in Friday's four-set win over Cal State Dominguez Hills.

11/13/2009 10:25:27 PM

CARSON, Calif. – Gillian Heydorff has the chance to become the first player in Chico State volleyball history to make four trips to the NCAA Championship Tournament…but to do it, she and the Wildcats entered the weekend having to beat both their final two conference opponents, Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State L.A. Thanks to Heydorff’s 20-kill, 22-dig performance, the front end of the much-needed road sweep is officially in the books, as No. 25 Chico State downed Cal State Dominuez Hills in four sets Friday at the Torodome, by scores of 25-17, 25-19, 23-25 and 25-19.

The win improves the Wildcats’ overall record to 23-8 and 14-7 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), and sets up a must-win season finale against Cal State L.A. Chico State came into Friday’s match No. 10 in the West Region rankings, and for any chance to be among the top eight schools and earn a postseason berth, the Wildcats have to go into the Eagles Nest Saturday and defeat the 20-8 Golden Eagles, who rank 20th in the nation and No. 6 in the West Region. Friday’s loss ended the season for Cal State Dominguez Hills, which finished 2-27 on the year and 2-20 in the CCAA.

Jessica Leek had 13 kills in Friday's win over Cal State Dominguez Hills.

The host Toros staked themselves to a 9-6 lead early in Friday’s first set, but three kills apiece by Heydorff and Makenzie Snyder, plus two by Kayla Baumgardner keyed a 13-6 run to give Chico State a 19-15 advantage. Cal State Dominguez Hills pulled to within three at 20-17, but the Wildcats reeled off the next five points (two on Heydorff kills) to seal the 25-17 victory.

Cal State Dominguez Hills went up early in the second set as well, and still led 12-10 when Chico State tallied 10 of the next 14 points to go up 20-16 – Heydorff blasting three kills during that stretch. With the score 22-19, the Wildcats posted three straight points to triumph again – Snyder providing a set-ending service ace to give the ’Cats the 25-19 win.

The Toros came out blazing after intermission, streaking to an 11-2 lead in the third set, but Chico State – with four kills by Heydorff and solo kills by Snyder, Jessica Leek and Jordan Bambas – went of a 13-3 run to go out in front 15-14. The Wildcats were still ahead 21-20 when Cal State Dominguez Hills got hot, scoring five of the last seven points to steal the 25-23 victory and sending the match to a fourth set.

In what turned out to be the finale, it was Chico State that grabbed the early lead, using a Leek service ace, two Baumgrder kills and five Toros miscues to go up 8-3. Cal State Dominguez Hills got as close as 14-10, but the Wildcats closed out the contest with a flurry of offense – Heydorff notching another four kills, with Jacqueline Johnson adding two and Snyder, Leek and Baumgardner adding one kill apiece – to give the ’Cats the 25-19 victory and the match.

In addition to her 20 kills and 22 digs, Heydorff posted a .340 attack percentage Friday, and her single service ace was enough to move Gillian past former teammate (and current Chico State assistant coach Jamie Houle) into the top spot in the Wildcat record books with 137 career aces. Leek finished Friday’s match with 13 kills and a .344 attack percentage, while Snyder chipped in with a dozen kills and 10 digs on the night. Sable Villaescusa piled up 54 assists, while Jessica Simms racked up 25 digs in the win over the Toros.

BOX SCORE

Saturday’s regular season finale against Cal State L.A. begins at 7:00 p.m. – you can follow the action via Live Stats through the Golden Eagles’ Athletics website (www.csulaathletics.com/custompages/livestats/gel.htm). Sunday the NCAA will announce the Championship Tournament participants from all eight regions beginning at 6:00 p.m. Pacific time at www.ncaa.com.

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Wildcats of the Week

Kelly Clancey

Women's Track

There’s something about the annual Chico Multi that always brings out the best in heptathlete Kelly Clancey. For the second straight year, the junior from Modesto earned an NCAA Championships provisional bid in the heptathlon during the two-day Chico Multi, collecting 4,743 total points over the seven events, easily surpassing the 4,400 points needed to secure the provisional bid.

Clancey was the dominant athlete in the 12-person field, taking first place in four of the seven hepthatlon events. She took top honors in the high jump (5 feet, 3.25 inches), long jump (17 feet, 9.5 inches), 100-meter hurdles (15.42 seconds) and the 800-meter run (2 minutes, 20.25 second), while finishing second in the 200-meter dash (26.34 seconds), fourth in the shot put and sixth in the javelin throw.

Clancey, already well ahead of last season's schedule in which she scored a 4,400 in the Chico Multi and went on to post a career-best 4,811 at the CCAA Championships and advance to the NCAA Championships, will try to better her provisional mark March 24-25 at the California Multi, hosted by UC Berkeley.

Sylvester Gama

Men's Golf

Sylvester Gama carded three consecutive sub-par rounds and finished alone in second place at 7-under par at the Coyote Classic last Monday and Tuesday. Gama, competing as an individual, finished six strokes clear of third place in a standout performance that was bettered only by Cal State San Bernardino's Gene Webster, Jr.

Gama went 2-under in the opening round on the par-70 course at Arrowhead Country Club. He went 1-under in the afternoon. And on Tuesday, Gama's 66 was bettered only by Webster and matched his teammate Kyle Souza for the third lowest round of the tournament.

A 6-foot senior from Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara CC), Gama has now gone under par in eight of his 16 rounds of the 2009-10 season. His stroke average of 72.1 is second on the Wildcats as are his three top-five finishes.

Those efforts have made him easily the team's most improved player thus far this season. His stroke average was 75.3 last season and he had just one top-10 finish - an eighth-place finish at the CCAA Championships.

2.24.10 | Women's Volleyball

Calling all volleyball players! Chico State Grass Volleyball Tournament scheduled for May 1-2

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

Wildcats to host Volleyball Coaches Clinic on April 30

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 State volleyball tryouts set for Feb. 26

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

Another All-America honor for Snyder

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

Makenzie Snyder named AVCA Second Team All-American

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

Snyder, Heydorff and Villaescusa receive All-West Region honors

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

Snyder, Heydorff earn All-CCAA First Team honors

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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