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Wildcats final homestand features two key match-ups
Gillian Heydorff could become Chico State's all-time service aces leader this weekend.
11/5/2009 10:04:21 AM
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.
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Wildcats of the Week
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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.
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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.
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1.19.12 | Women's Volleyball
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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