With the target on its back as the SoCal Region's top-ranked squad, the state #3 Pasadena City College women's volleyball team continues to get the best efforts that fellow South Coast Conference foes have to offer. On Friday night, host Long Beach City College played about as well in a hard-fought first set, but the Lancers finally held serve to go on to sweep the Vikings, 28-26, 25-23, 25-16.
PCC won its 12 consecutive match, moving its overall record to 15-1 and keeping a perfect record in first place of the SCC at 10-0. Long Beach dropped to 10-7 and 8-4 in the conference.
The Lancers survived the opening set, matching the longest game of the season (also won a 28-26 extra-point set v. MiraCosta in the season opener), thanks in part to the continued high-end defense of outside hitter Nalani Young.
"Long Beach really took us out of rhythm early in the match, competing harder than us," said PCC head coach Mike Terrill. "Nalani showed her spirit on defense and decided not to lose and the team followed. Sabiya Esquivel also made many intelligent attacking decisions in set 1 for us."
Young had many of her team-high 19 digs in that first set. In set 2, the Lancers withstood a late charge by Long Beach. Leading 22-20, setter Nayeli SalasOrtiz dropped a dump kill, and eventually set Esquivel for set point. In the third set, PCC's offense drilled many hard attacks and broke down the Vikings' net block. Middle blocker Monet Latunde crushed match point to close out the team's ninth sweep this season.
"In set 2, we got our middles going, and then in set 3, we were able to get more comfortable. We really took big confident swings in that clinching set. Our bench had fun together and created energy for us. This group will continue to get better as long we face challenges head on and continue learning."
The team's offense excelled in its 6-2 rotation as setter/opposite Bia Silva distributed 29 assists to go with seven kills, five service aces, and six digs. SalasOrtiz added 19 assists and six digs. Young led the hitters with 14 kills (hit .310), opposite/middle blocker Camila Sanchez-Tellez scored 11 kills, attacking at a .500 clip, and Latunde hit a red-hot .533 on nine kills in 15 attempts plus two solo blocks. Esquivel had one of her better matches of late with 11 kills.
Five different Lancers scored 11 or more points, led by Young's 15. Defensively, libero Kei'ana Pascua made 14 digs.
After committing a season worst in serve errors with 13 v. Mt. SAC, PCC matched its season-low in serve mistakes with just five.
Pasadena hosts El Camino College on Wednesday, Oct. 27 in a 6 p.m. SCC match at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium. Fans can attend the match with a health survey green check at the gym door as well as wearing masks for indoor health and safety.
The Warriors are 10-11 overall, but their current 8-3 conference record is second behind the Lancers in the SCC. Unranked ECC has won seven of its last eight contests, yet have a number of disturbing 5-set losses, including against unranked Folsom Lake and Mt. San Jacinto. El Camino twice was stretched to five sets (both wins) by LA Harbor, currently seventh in the 9-team South Coast.