If the COVID-19 pandemic has done anything for community college coaches, it's savor the return to the daily routine of holding in-person practices to guide their programs into a new season. Pasadena City College women's volleyball head coach Mike Terrill is not only excited as the Lancers return to play for the 2021 season after an entire 2020 season was wiped out by the worldwide health crisis, but pleased with the instant camaraderie demonstrated among of his players.
"From our first day of summer training the players commented on how much they love their teammates and they have continued to emphasize how important chemistry is to this 2021 group," Terrill said. "We've been tying everything we do to our other core values of trust and respect and our players are embracing their roles. I'm a lucky coach because each year the quality of character in our program improves."
Three key lettermen from the 2019 Lancers return in All-South Coast Conference First Team outside hitter Nalani Young, libero Saku Yoshioka and 6-foot-1 middle blocker Paulina Lopez. Young was the first PCC player in the program's history to reach both 300 kill and 300 digs in the same season and the 5-8 sophomore who averaged 2.9 kills and 3.2 digs per set is poised for another big season. Two years ago, Yoshioka was a solid defensive specialist (246 digs, 2.4 average) and the team's top server with 57 aces. Lopez was a full-time starter as a freshman and led the squad in net blocks (55 blocks, 0.71 average) to go with a 1.3 kills average.
"It's a privilege to welcome back three returners from 2019," Terrill said. "They've been key in providing continuity and leadership to our group. They've tasted a bit of success and are hungry to build upon their performance of two years ago, and I expect them all to be key contributors this season."
The '19 Lancers finished 19-10, the most wins by a PCC team since 2012, earned a SoCal Regional playoff berth, and was #23 in the final state volleyball rankings.
The Lancers open the 2021 season this Friday, Aug. 27 with their annual PCC Quad Tournament at the HP Gym. PCC faces MiraCosta, a 2019 state tournament quarterfinalist and #8-ranked that year, in the opening match at 11 a.m. and then takes on #18-rated team from the '19 season in Cypress at 3 p.m. Cypress will face Chaffey College at 11 a.m. and MiraCosta plays Chaffey at 3 p.m.
The team's newcomers includes a list of players who are in their second year in the program, but technically just freshmen in 2021. The crop starts with 5-10 middle blocker Camila Sanchez-Tellez, an All-Pacific League Second Team selection out of Burbank Burroughs High, outside hitter Verenice Gonzalez (Huntington Park High), an All-Los Angeles City Division III choice, libero Kei'ana Pascua, a top defensive player on a Mojave League champion team as a junior at Oak Hills High, and libero Leena Albelo, another solid defensive player from Gabrielino High.
Middle blocker Monet Latunde, an All-Pacific League First Team player out of Arcadia High, and outside hitter Lillian Sharman, who played at La Canada High before finishing her prep career at Pasadena HS, are gifted talents expected to add spark to the roster.
"Our second-year freshmen, who along with our third-year players, have shown an incredible commitment to PCC Volleyball despite being remote for the entirety of their freshman year," Terrill said. "Camila has shown immense talent and leadership. Vere is one of the best communicators and learners we've had in the program. Kei'ana and Leena provide incredible skill and spark in our back row. Monet and Lillian are blessed with athleticism that light up our gym daily."
Other top recruits are 5-9 setter Bia Silva, who played on a CIF Southern Section Division 6 champion team at Loma Linda Academy in 2017, Sabiya Esquivel, a nifty outside hitter from Whittier High, and setter Nayeli SalasOrtiz, a perennial Whittier Daily News All-Area player who earned a bevy of prep awards while at Schurr High.
"Bia and Sabiya both have the ability to be the margin of victory for our team," the coach said. "Nayeli is a very high IQ player."
The Lancers '21 roster fills out nicely with 5-11 middle blocker Danae Johnson (Taft High), 5-11 setter/opposite Rylee DeSimone (Pomona's International Poly HS), outside hitter Kimberly Cruz (Northview High) and yet another talented setter in Annie Lay, who was a 2019 All-CIF Northern Section Second Team selection as a senior after she led Colusa High as the Sacramento Valley League MVP to the Division V championship.
Last Friday, the team scrimmaged against one of the top program's in SoCal in Irvine Valley in what was the first PCC sporting event since 2019 to be played at PCC's Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium.
Terrill said: "We were very pleased with our team performance against IVC. We competed hard, stuck to a game plan and adjusted when necessary. We didn't let their runs change our belief in ourselves and it was a joy to watch our women finally compete!"
After the PCC Quad, the Lancers embark on three more non-conference matches before beginning South Coast Conference competition on Friday, Sept. 10 v. visiting East Los Angeles College (all conference matches are 6 p.m. starts). The long SCC portion of the schedule concludes with a conference tournament that will decide the team's placing in the South Coast on Nov. 12-13. The Lancers then hope to earn a postseason berth into the Southern California Regional Playoffs.
While currently no fans are allowed in for attendance due to recent COVID-19 protocols put in place at PCC, you can follow the Lancers home matches on Facebook Live at this link: https://www.facebook.com/PasadenaCCVolleyball/
Here are other important team links:
Besides releases and updates on the team seen here on our official website pcclancers.com, you can also follow the team on Twitter @PCCAthletics