Off to the program's best start to a season in seven years, the Pasadena City College women's volleyball team ran its perfect record to 4-0 on Friday with two victories at the PCC Quad #1 on Aug. 30, an event hosted by the Lancers but played at Santa Monica College due to delays in the final refurbishing of the Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium floor.
The Lancers swept Santa Monica, 25-6, 25-13, 25-12, marking the 50th career victory for fourth-year head coach Mike Terrill. PCC then came up with perhaps its biggest non-conference victory in several seasons with a 4-set triumph over perennial Orange Empire Conference power Cypress, 24-26, 25-15, 25-21, 25-20.
The 4-0 beginning for PCC is the most successful opening to a season since the 2012 team that went 5-0 to start that year. The team went on to the third round of the Southern California Regionals under former head coach Tammy Silva, who retired from coaching after that campaign.
"Cypress was a tough battle as they had just come off a 5-set win (over MiraCosta) and were looking really good in the opening set," Terrill said. "We recovered from an 18-13 deficit to almost win that set but it got our momentum going. One of our team's core values is to embody confidence in our game and have faith in each other. All of our players did so in response and the eventual 4-set win. Janell Currier had a great match, and our team competed so well. I'm so proud of how well our women worked together throughout the summer and adapted so well in a true test by playing four away matches."
Currier, an All-South Coast Conference returning outside hitter, pounded 20 kills (hit .357) with 13 digs, three aces and two assisted blocks while letterman setter Nikki Hernandez contributed 40 assists, 11 digs and three aces. Middle blocker Paulina Lopez was a force at the net with five kills and nine blocks (three solos). Nalani Young added 11 kills and 11 digs while defensive specialist Saku Yoshioka tacked on 13 digs and served four aces. Libero Grace Crawford had 15 digs.
In the SMC victory, frosh outside hitter Kaitlyn Karsten was solid with 12 kills in just 19 attempts (hit .474). Mia Groves had a team-high 10 digs and setter Madison Blohm dished out 19 assists plus three aces. Erykah Wilson tallied five kills and Izabella Hernandez four kills.
On Wednesday, Sept. 4, PCC returns to the floor with a 6 p.m. match at Ventura College.