October 14, 2006
Courtesy Chico State Sports Information Office
CHICO, Calif. – Facing the possibility of being forced into a fourth game, Jamie Houle and Lindsay Macias made sure that it ended in three. The Chico State volleyball team trailed 28-23 in the third game before Houle and Macias combined for seven kills during a stirring comeback that ensured a sweep against visiting Cal State Dominguez Hills Friday night.
Macias finished the evening with a match-high 17 kills, while Houle added 12 in Chico State's 30-28, 30-18, 33-31 victory. The Wildcats improved to 16-3 overall and 11-3 in the CCAA. Cal State Dominguez Hills, which was led by Courtney Spainhour's 12 kills, fell to 7-13 overall and 4-10 in the CCAA.
In fact, only Spainhour's kill kept the Wildcats from scoring seven straight points to finish the match. With Chico State trailing 28-23, Houle ripped off back-to-back kills, and after Macias put one away to make it 28-27, Houle struck again to tie the game, but after a Dominguez Hills hitting error, Spainhour's kill tied it back up at 29-29.
Macias registered two more kills as the teams traded points to make it 31-all, but Megan Cape and Whitney Johnson put the game away with consecutive kills for the Wildcats.
Johnson finished with a match-high four blocks for the Wildcats, who played much stronger at the net then they did in a loss to UC San Diego Friday. The Wildcats also benefitted from a .400 hitting percentage and 10 kills from Gillian Heydorff, 45 assists from setter Erica Brick, 11 digs apiece from Cape and Macias, and four service aces from Houle.
Maria Miranda posted 19 digs for the Toros, while Spainhour chipped in 16.
Houle's first ace, which came in the first game of the night, made her Chico State's career leader in service aces. She passed Chelsea Tyrrell's (2000-03) career total of 126 and now has 130.
Meanwhile, two other Wildcats made significant moves up career top 10 lists. Houle moved into sixth place on the school's career kills list with 781. And Lacy Stringfellow, who finished with 10 digs, moved past Katie Heinz (2001-03) into third place on the school's career digs list with 901.
Cal State Dominguez Hills plays at home next weekend. Friday night the Toros entertain No. 3 Cal State San Bernardino, and Saturday, the opponent is Cal Poly Pomona. The start for both of these matches is the usual 7:00 p.m.