Trying to hold on to its state ranking, the #21 Pasadena City College women's volleyball team recorded 4-set victories over East Los Angeles and Cerritos on back-to-back days Wednesday and Thursday that improved the Lancers records to 16-7 overall and 6-5 in the South Coast Conference.
Playing without its lone sophomore in setter Bia Silva (illness), the Lancers fought back from adversity against yet another hungry SCC squad in ELAC. In front of one of the largest crowds of the season v. the Huskies, PCC made several important rallies to win a close match, 21-25, 25-21, 25-23, 27-25.
Tied at 15-15 in the second set, opposite Kyley Chang delivered two big kills, libero Emily Licon an ace, and outside hitter Ashley Marrone landed a kill for a 4-point set win that tied the match at 1-1.
In set 3, ELAC led 4-0, 8-3, and 17-13 but the Lancers fought back each time. Emma Yogan ripped a kill, then served a 3-0 run, landing two aces to give PCC its first lead of the set at 20-19. Marrone stepped up with her seventh kill of the set for set point and a 2-point win.
In the fourth set, the Huskies roared back and ultimately took a 20-11 lead. PCC then came up with the rally of the year. After a sideout kill by Yogan, setter Lindsay Delgadillo went on a 5-0 serving run. It got bleak again with ELAC ahead 23-20, but Marrone slammed three consecutive kills for a 24-23 Lancers lead.
East LA tied it twice, the second on a Kiara Davis kill that made it 25-25. Delgadillo fed Yogan twice as the team's top outside hitter finished off the comeback with two kills.
"So proud of such a young team to fight back from adversity," said PCC head coach Mike Terrill. "It's a testament to my assistant coaching staff to make adjustments and help the players find sheer will to come back. We're a good team, but we have had our tough moments due to growing pains.
"Last year, it was far easier run in the SCC as we had so many experienced sophomores. Other teams in the conference have improved this year and a few of them knocked us down. But we're getting back up now as we look forward to the playoffs."
The team's 57 kills tied a Lancers 2022 high and their 81 digs was second-best as both ELAC and PCC had a number of long point rallies with great saves on both sides of the net.
Yogan scored a team season-high on 22 kills (hit .327) and had her own season-best of 15 digs as her defensive play was as impactful as her hitting. She added four aces as her 26 individual points was also a Lancers best this season.
Marrone, who had just seven kills in the previous four matches, took advantage of increased playing time and pounded her season high of 19 kills, hitting .308 in another personal high of 39 swings.
Another player who grabbed the spotlight was Silva's replacement at setter in Delgadillo. She recorded a team season-high of 45 set assists and added eight digs.
Chang scored eight kills and had five block assists while middle blocker Ashley Gilbert made four kills, 12 digs and four blocks. The defense included 22 digs (plus five set assists) by Licon and 12 digs by defensive specialist Karmen Turner.
On Wednesday afternoon at Cerritos, the Lancers downed the Falcons, 25-16, 25-16, 20-25, 25-16. Delgadillo handed out 40 assists, made 13 digs and served three aces. Gilbert scored 12 kills, four blocks and four aces while middle blocker Reese Roper tallied nine kills (.421 attack percentage) and six blocks.
Libero Makayla Chiechi totaled 19 digs and Leslie Pacheco scored five kills. Yogan stayed consistent with 16 kills, eight digs and three aces. Chang added five kills and five blocks and Licon reached double digits with 10 digs.
Having won three straight matches, PCC closes the regular season on Wednesday, Nov. 15 in a 6 p.m. SCC match v. #20 Rio Hondo. Silva will be celebrated at the program's annual Sophomore Night ceremony and is expected to play against the Roadrunners.