While the effect of Wednesday night's 5-set loss to state No. 22-ranked Ventura College is yet to be seen, the Pasadena City College women's volleyball team isn't disappointing head coach Mike Terrill. On the contrary, the Lancers played with heart and emotion and he was excited about the team's performance before a loud crowd at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium.

"That was our best effort this season," Terrill said. "We showed so much togetherness on the court and incredible bench energy, especially during the fourth and fifth sets when we were fighting to climb back into the match. I'm very proud of the positivity and grit our team showed against Ventura."

The Lancers (2-5 overall) lost by scores of 25-16, 18-25, 25-17, 23-25, 15-10, twice rallying to knot the match to extend it to the fifth set. In the fourth set, Ventura led 23-21, but PCC stormed back on two kills by Abby Martin, then a combined block by Martin and teammate Jada O'Mally. A set error finished off the comeback and a fourth game win.

In the fifth set, the Pirates (3-2) took control at 4-0, then PCC cut it to 4-3 only to see Ventura pull ahead 8-4. A Leslie Rivera kill cut the deficit to 9-7 but that would be as close as the Lancers could in a 5-point defeat to decide the match. Martin scored a team-high 14 kills and hit .355 while Rivera was her usual all-around self with nine kills, 13 digs and five aces. Libero Pamela Galvan was strong with 15 digs and seven assists while O'Mally and Danielle Johnson each recorded five kills and three block assists. 

PCC's roadblocks were Ventura hitter Morgan Gallagher, who slammed 21 kills, and Brooklyn Wallet (nine kills), who spun five of her team's 14 aces. 

LANCERS SPLIT AT SBCC QUAD

At the Santa Barbara City College quad tourney played September 8, PCC scored a big, 5-set win over the host Vaqueros, 25-18, 17-25, 25-21, 19-25, 15-11, as Rivera put on a clinic with 23 kills (hit .392), 17 digs and four aces. Danielle Johnson added 12 kills (hit .346) while setter Tehya Topalian made 31 assists. Janell Currier added four kills and 12 digs and Galvan had 16 digs.

The Lancers then were swept by state No. 5 Bakersfield, 25-18, 25-20, 25-15, as Rivera totaled 10 kills.

On Friday, Sept. 14, the Lancers play their second PCC Quad tourney as they host Citrus at 12 p.m. and Antelope Valley at 2:30 p.m.