BOX SCORE
SEASIDE, Calif. — When Chico State won the first two sets against Cal State Monterey Bay Friday night in The Kelp Bed, nary a fan thought of leaving. In fact, they were just settling in.

For the seventh time in their past nine match the Wildcats and Otters went this distance. This time, Chico held off a late CSUMB rally to win 25–19, 25–20, 16–25, 20–25, 15–11.

The result put a damper on another tour de force performance by Otter junior outside hitter Julia Ashen (North Salinas HS), who led all attackers with 25 kills and added a career–high 31 digs. CSUMB also got 20 kills and 18 digs from sophomore outside hitter Jessica Malcolm (Lodi HS).

Ellie Larronde and Lindsay Quigley led the Wildcats with 19 kills apiece.

Chico (5–4, 2–0 CCAA) passed brilliantly in the first two sets and freshman setter Torey Thompson solved the Otter block as the Wildcats broke away late in the first set then won easily in the second. But CSUMB (6–3, 0–1) rallied to dominate the third set behind 10 kills from Malcolm and an 81 percent side out efficiency rate.

Ashen found the floor nine times in the fourth set to help the Otters tie the match. But the clock struck midnight on the second point of the fifth set. After a Malcolm kill gave CSUMB a 1–0 lead, the Otters mishandled a free ball on the second rally, allowing Chico to stem the tide of Otter momentum.

The Wildcats stretched their lead to 8–5 before kills by Ashen and freshman DJ Gresham-Ryder (Stockton/Chavez HS) helped CSUMB tie the match. But consecutive Otter errors allowed Chico to retake the lead and it kept CSUMB at arm's length down the stretch to win.

CSUMB returns to action Saturday when it continues its four–match homestand by hosting Cal State Stanislaus at 7 p.m.