|
'Cats bounce back, roll to three set victory over Humboldt State
Jessica Leek finished off a productive weekend with 13 kills and two service aces in the Wildcats sweep of Humboldt State Saturday night at Acker Gym.
11/7/2009 9:51:38 PM
CHICO, Calif. – The Chico State volleyball team didn’t take long in putting Friday night’s humbling three set loss to Sonoma State behind it – in their final home match of the season, Makenzie Snyder, Gillian Heydorff and Jessica Leek combined for 41 kills to power the Wildcats to a 25-20, 25-14, 28-26 sweep of the Humboldt State Lumberjacks Saturday night at Acker Gym. The ’Cats improved to 22-8 on the year – the most wins in a season by a Chico State volleyball team since 1993 and the most since Cody Hein took over the program seven years ago.
More importantly, Saturday’s win moved the Wildcats to 13-7 in the California Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAA), and combined with San Francisco State’s loss to Cal State East Bay, Chico State sits alone in fifth place in the conference standings as they continue to battle for an NCAA Championship Tournament berth. Humboldt State dropped its eighth straight match to fall to 7-21 on the year and 3-17 in CCAA play.
The Wildcats wasted little time in gaining the upper hand in the match’s first set, racing out to an early 10-3 lead on the strength of kills by Snyder, Heydorff, Leek, Jacqueline Johnson and Kayla Baumgardner. Chico State was still up 19-12 when Humboldt State began to chip away at the deficit, outscoring the Wildcats 8-4 to pull to within 23-20. The ’Cats quickly put the set away on a Heydorff kill and a Lumberjacks attack error to post the 25-20 victory.
Humboldt State jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the second set, but that would be as good as it would get for the Lumberjacks, as Chico State ripped off a 12-2 run to go up 13-7 and take command of the contest. Humboldt State could get no closer than three the rest of the way, as the Wildcats scored 11 of the last 14 points to win going away, 25-14. Snyder and Leek led the ’Cats with five kills apiece.
The third set was much tighter, with 16 tie scores and four lead changes. Each team battled back and forth, with Chico State squandering a 10-7 advantage and Humboldt State letting a 17-15 lead slip away. The Lumberjacks held the lead late and had the Wildcats at set point, but a service error knotted the score at 24-all and gave Chico State new life. The Wildcats went on the offensive, and though Humboldt State staved off two match points, Snyder and Heydorff connected for back-to-back kills to bring home the 28-26 win and complete the ’Cats sweep of the match.
Snyder posted a double-double to lead the Chico State attack, producing 15 kills and 17 digs, while Leek finished with 13 kills and a pair of service aces. Heydorff, playing her final home match as a Wildcat, contributed 13 kills and seven digs, while Sable Villaescusa beefed up her season average with 39 assists. Oceana Matsubu led Humboldt State with 10 kills in the losing effort.
BOX SCORE
Chico State finishes the regular season on the road next weekend, traveling to southern California to take on Cal State Dominguez Hills Friday and Cal State L.A. on Saturday. Both matches are scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
There are no upcoming events.
.jpg)
Wildcats of the Week
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
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.
Close | Full Story
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.
Close | Full Story
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.
Close | Full Story
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.
Close | Full Story
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.
Close | Full Story
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.
Close | Full Story
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.
Close | Full Story
|