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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
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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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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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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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