CHICO, Calif. – The Chico State volleyball team plays its final two home matches of the regular season this weekend, and for the No. 25 Wildcats to strengthen their chances at nailing down a fourth straight NCAA Championship Tournament bid, they’ll need to beat Sonoma State on Friday and Humboldt State Saturday at Acker Gym.

Chico State, 21-7 overall this season, enters this week’s action in tied with Sonoma State for fourth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings with a 12-6 conference record. The Wildcats currently occupy the No. 7 slot in the NCAA West Region rankings.

Sonoma State (20-6 on the year, 12-6 CCAA) will be a formidable opponent Friday – the Seawolves are ranked 18th in the nation and No. 3 in the West Region. Sonoma State comes to Chico having won five of its last six matches, but it was the Wildcats who won the first meeting this season, and they did it in dramatic fashion, rallying from two sets down to beat the Seawolves in five October 3 in Rohnert Park.

Humboldt State (7-19 season, 3-15 CCAA) enters the week having lost six straight and 13 of its last 14 matches. The Lumberjacks gave Chico State all it could handle in their first meeting October 2 in Arcata, as the Wildcats had to come back from a first set loss and battle the rest of the way to earn a four-set victory.

Fans coming out to Acker Gym this weekend could witness some Chico State volleyball history being made – Gillian Heydorff needs just three digs to reach 1,000 for her Wildcats career, while two service aces will move Heydorff past former teammate (and current Chico State assistant coach) Jamie Houle as the Wildcats’ all-time aces leader. As the team’s lone four year player, Heydorff will be honored Saturday on Senior Night.

Both Friday’s Sonoma State match and Saturday’s meeting with Humboldt State will start at 7:00 p.m. Following Chico State’s final home stand, the Wildcats wrap up the regular season on the road November 13-14 against Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State L.A.