Wildcats await postseason fate following loss to Cal State L.A.

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Wildcats await postseason fate following loss to Cal State L.A.

Makenzie Snyder collected 24 kills and 14 digs Saturday, but the Wildcats dropped a four-set decision to Cal State L.A.

11/14/2009 10:22:34 PM

LOS ANGELES – The regular season ended Saturday for the Chico State volleyball team, but the question remains: will the Wildcats live to play another day? A Chico State victory over Cal State L.A. would have greatly improved the Wildcats’ chances of claiming a West Region Tournament bid, but now Chico State’s postseason hopes are in the hands of the NCAA selection committee – despite winning the first set, the ’Cats were beaten by the Golden Eagles in four sets Saturday at the Eagles Nest by scores of 21-25, 25-23, 25-23 and 25-12.

The loss was a disappointing end to an impressive 23-9 season that saw Chico State finish fifth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with a 14-8 record. Cal State L.A., which occupied third place in the conference standings (17-5) and is assured one of the eight NCAA West Region Tournament berths, wrapped up its regular season with a 21-8 mark.

The Wildcats will find out whether they will be awarded a West Region bid tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. Pacific time, when the NCAA announces online the Tournament selections for all eight Division II regions at www.ncaa.com.

Saturday began encouragingly when Chico State, on the strength of three Makenzie Snyder kills, jumped out to an early 5-2 lead in the opening set. Cal State L.A. hung close, but the Wildcats would never trail in the contest. With Chico State up 24-19, the Golden Eagles were able to stave off a pair of set points before Gillian Heydorff delivered the kill that gave the ’Cats the 25-21 victory.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, that would be the evening’s high point, as Cal State L.A. came back to win two tightly played sets. Chico State led 14-9 in the second set, only to see the Golden Eagles go on an 11-5 run to go up 20-19. The Wildcats were able to pull even three times in the late stages, but with the score 23-all, Cal State L.A. posted back-to-back kills to grab the 25-23 victory.

The third set was a back-and-forth affair, with neither team leading by more than two points before the Golden Eagles got hot down the stretch. With Chico State up 17-16, Cal State L.A. reeled off six unanswered points to take a healthy 22-17 lead. The ’Cats responded with a 6-2 run (Snyder leading the way with three kills) to pull to within 24-23, but a Zuzana Cuzova killed provided the point the Golden Eagles needed to cement the 25-23 win.

Cal State L.A. took no prisoners in the finale, sending the Wildcats reeling by scoring the first seven points of the set. This time Chico State had no answer, and could get no closer than six points the rest of the way as the Golden Eagles rolled to the 25-12 win and the match.

Snyder topped the Chico State stat sheet with 24 kills and 14 digs in the losing effort, while Heydorff – playing possibly her final match as a Wildcat – notched her 58th career double-digit kill and 47th double-digit digs match with 15 and 18, respectively. Sable Villaescusa dished out 41 assists; Jessica Simms racked up 18 digs and Gigi Terlouw chipped in with 11 digs.

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Wildcats of the Week

Caressa Williams

Women's Basketball

For much of the season, redshirt freshman Caressa Williams has been sitting at the end of the Chico State women’s basketball team bench, seeing very little on-court action. But the former Paradise High School star continued to work hard on her game, and the extra effort has paid off in recent weeks with significantly more playing time. After a string of short but impressive relief roles, Williams delivered a breakout performance Saturday against Humboldt State, posting career highs in scoring and rebounding in the Wildcats’ 90-67 thumping of Humboldt State. Her strongest effort to date makes Williams the latest Wildcat of the Week.

Williams shot over 58 percent (7-of-12), averaging just under 10 points and five rebounds in Chico State’s two weekend contests. She began the weekend with a solid outing Friday against Sonoma State, contributing five points, two rebounds, one assist and two steals in 16 minutes of action. Saturday, though, she was a major part of the Wildcat reserves combining to score 51 in the team’s convincing 23-point win over Humboldt. Williams played 24 minutes, scoring 14 points and hauling in seven rebounds – both career highs – connecting on five of her seven field goal attempts. She also chipped in with an assist and a steal in addition to shining on the defensive end.

Williams’ productive weekend saw her season scoring average more than double, rising from 1.6 to 3.6 points per game. Overall, she is shooting 50 percent from the field and is averaging two rebounds a contest.

Chico State is back in action this weekend, hosting Cal Poly Pomona Friday and San Francisco State Saturday at Acker Gym. Both games are scheduled to tipoff at 5:30 p.m.

Amir Carraway

Men's Basketball

Amir Carraway capped a strong weekend with team highs of 16 points and seven rebounds in the Wildcats’ huge win against Humboldt State Saturday night to earn Wildcat of the Week honors for the second time this season.

The sophomore from Vallejo made two game-sealing free throws with 21 seconds left to finish the night 6-of-7 from the free throw line and pulled down key rebounds on two of the Lumberjacks’ last three possessions. He also set the screen on Jay Flores’ dagger 3-pointer with 40 seconds left.

Carraway finished with 10 points and four rebounds despite playing just 18 minutes due to foul trouble during the Wildcats’ loss to Sonoma State the night before.

The 6-foot-5 forward leads the team in rebounding at 5.5 per game and ranks second in scoring at 10.6 points per game a season after averaging just 1.4 points and one rebound in only 5.4 minutes a night. He’s now led the team in scoring five times and rebounding six this season.

Carraway and the Wildcats, among four teams tied for second in the California Collegiate Athletic Association standings, trail conference co-leaders Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Dominguez Hills by just one game. They’ll welcome Cal Poly Pomona to town Friday night and San Francisco State Saturday.

1.19.12 | Women's Volleyball

Wildcats host volleyball tryout for junior college players Jan. 27

CHICO – Head Coach Cody Hein, continuing to seek out talent for the Chico State volleyball team’s 2012 roster, has announced an open tryout for junior college players on Friday, Jan. 27 from 3:30-6 p.m. in Shurmer Gym. The tryout is open to all former and current JC players with college eligibility; all prospective athletes must bring proof of a physical issued by a physician within the last six months to participate.

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12.8.11 | General

Rising in the fall

While the leaves have been falling in the City of Trees, the citiy's University, Chico State, has been rising toward the top of the list of the nation’s best NCAA Division II athletic programs. The Wildcats finished the fall ranked second in the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup fall standings, released Thursday.

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11.28.11 | Women's Volleyball

All-America honor the capper to Leek’s standout season

CHICO – The postseason has been nearly as productive for Chico State volleyball player Jessica Leek as the season itself. After an outstanding 2011 campaign, Leek has been hauling in the hardware ever since – a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) First Team award, All-West Region honors, and a spot on the CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District Volleyball Team. Monday Leek received yet another esteemed honor, earning All-America Honorable Mention from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).

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11.22.11 | Women's Volleyball

Leek named to 2011 AVCA All-West Region Team

CHICO – Jessica Leek’s best year yet as a Chico State Wildcat received more postseason recognition Tuesday – after winning All-California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) First Team honors, the junior opposite hitter was among 14 players named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-West Region team.

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11.16.11 | Women's Volleyball

All-CCAA status for Leek, Villaescusa

WALNUT CREEK – Jessica Leek was the Chico State volleyball team’s most consistent offensive weapon in 2011, thanks in large part to the sets provided by teammate Sable Villaescusa. So it only made sense that the two Wildcat standouts would both be honored Wednesday by the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) – Leek was named to the All-CCAA First Team, while Villaescusa was an All-CCAA Second Team selection.

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11.14.11 | Women's Volleyball

The Sound - and Sight - of Music on the court earns senior Wildcat of the Week honors

Playing backup to an all-conference and all-West Region athlete usually doesn’t allow for a whole lot of playing time. That’s exactly what Kristan Music has endured in her two years with the Chico State volleyball team – with Sable Villaescusa establishing herself as one of the top setters in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), Music has had precious little court time to show off her skills. But Saturday against Cal State Dominguez Hills, Music finally got her chance to shine, and she did not disappoint – in what turned out to be her final collegiate match, she played the final two sets and guided the ’Cats to a sweep of the visiting Toros. Music’s performance earned the Marysville native Wildcat of the Week honors.

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11.13.11 | Women's Volleyball

Sooooo close – Wildcats fall short of earning NCAA Tournament bid

CHICO – The Chico State volleyball team knew it had to finish the 2011 season strong and be the beneficiaries of some good old-fashioned Lady Luck to nab a berth in the NCAA Championship Tournament. The Wildcats, ranked No. 9 in the West Region, got both over the weekend with wins over Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills, and with No. 8 Alaska-Anchorage falling Saturday to Western Oregon, the ’Cats’ chances of extending their season increased dramatically. But despite the tide seemingly turning in Chico State’s favor, it still wasn’t enough to earn a trip to the postseason, as the ’Cats learned Sunday night they were not among the field of 64 teams vying for the Division II national championship.

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