ROHNERT PARK, Calif-  In front of an electric Seawolf Gym crowd, the Sonoma State volleyball team put the finishing touches on a season sweep of rival Chico State with a thrilling three sets to one win over the Wildcats on Friday night.  After dropping the first set, the Seawolves stormed back with three straight to take a 24-26, 30-28, 26-24, 25-18 win.  The victory boosts the Seawolves' record to 16-4, 8-3 CCAA.  The Wildcats drop to 14-7, 7-4 CCAA.

The Seawolves improve to a perfect 11-0 at home on the season.  SSU entered the match ranked No. 6 in the initial NCAA Pacific region poll.  Chico came in at No. 5.

Sonoma State looked golden in the first set, leading 24-23 and serving set point before three quick Wildcat points left the Seawolves stunned and in a 1-0 hole. 

It looked like it might be 'deja vu all over again' in the second when SSU took another 24-23 only to see the Wildcats take a point.  SSU served set point again at 25-24 and 26-25 while the Wildcats tried for the set win with serves at 27-26 and 28-27.  Trailing 28-27, Sonoma's Kristy Sather pounded home a kill to tie things up.  Lindsay Brown then served two straight aces to steal the set and bring the Seawolves even in the match at one set apiece.

Chico led for most of the third set, expanding their advantage to as many as seven points at 15-8 before the Seawolves began chipping away.  Three straight points drew SSU to within one at 22-21, but then the Wildcats scored a couple to bring up set point at 24-21.  The Seawolves then proceeded to reel off five in a row, the last coming on a kill by Marianne Fox to take the set, 26-24.

The set four collapse seemed to take the wind out of Chico's sails as SSU raced to a 7-2 lead in the fourth set and never really looked back.  The Wildcats would get within three a couple of times, but Sather and freshman Brooke Moore were solid down the stretch, giving the Seawolves a comparatively comfortable 25-18 win.

Sather paced the Seawolves with 18 kills.  She also had three blocks and hit .261 for the night.  Fox was brilliant as well, posting 15 kills and a .324 hitting percentage.  Lindsay Brown guided the offense with 47 assists and Taylor Krenwinkel found her way to 30 digs.

The Wildcats got 68 of their 70 kills from five players, all of them in double digits.  Makenzie Snyder led the way with 17 kills and both Gillian Heydorff and Crystal Trifeletti added 14.  Erica Brick had 62 assists in the defeat.

The Seawolves will go for a weekend sweep tomorrow when they host Cal State Stanislaus.

Box Score

GAME NOTES:  The Seawolves completed their first season sweep of the Wildcats since 2004...Lindsay Brown's 47 assists are a season-high...Taylor Krenwinkel's 30 digs are also the most by an SSU player this season...the Seawolves' 16 wins are their highest total since 2001 (22)...Sonoma State leads the all-time series against Chico State, 22-14.