TURLOCK — Chico State may have won in straight sets, but Wednesday night's CCAA opener inside Fitzpatrick Arena was much more competitive than the 3-0 score indicated.
The teams battled neck and neck in a three-set thriller, but it was the visiting Wildcats who eked out the final few points for the 25-19, 25-23, 26-24 win.
The Warriors had their four-match winning snapped and dropped to 5-3 overall and 0-1 to begin the conference season. The Wildcats are now 5-4, 1-0 CCAA.
TOP PERFORMANCES
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Jordon Wilson led the team with 10 kills to go with two blocks. She was a solid 10 for 20 with two hitting errors for a .400 attacking percentage.
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Macky Morris smashed eight kills and
Yisel Perez added seven kills with three block-assists.
• In her first match back, All-American
Sierra Adams had six kills in just two sets of play.
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Breanna Cannon, who resumed full-time setting duties after the first set, had 30 assists.
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Krista Hernandez had 12 digs.
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Kiara Erving also had three assisted blocks.
• Chico State had three players in double digits in kills. The Wildcats were led by Grace Shepherd's 13 kills.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• Chico State's defense out-played the Warriors' as the Wildcats recorded 14 total blocks with 56 digs to the Warriors' 9 and 45.
• Chico State hit .270 as a team including .407 in the first set.
• The see-saw battled had 27 tied scores and 11 lead changes in the match. In the second set there were six lead changes.
• With ASI's pre-game party and free T-shirt, the attendance was 323 for a Wednesday night match.
KEY MOMENTS OF THE MATCH
• Just as the Warriors were beginning to rally back in the first set, Chico State rolled off five straight points to end the first on three kills and two Stan State hitting errors.
• Stan State had leads late in the second set, but the Wildcats kept the Warriors at 23 while getting consecutive kills by Shepherd to win the set.
• The Warriors led by four points in the third, at 22-18, before Chico State rallied late again. The Wildcats go on a 8-2 run to end the match.
UP NEXT
Cal State Monterey Bay visits Fitzpatrick Arena on Saturday with an early start time of 5 p.m. The Otters (4-4, 0-1 CCAA) lost at Humboldt State Wednesday night.
