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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

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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