That the Pasadena City College women's volleyball team has a quality group is clear. What isn't is seeing their veteran sophomore talent play to their abilitiies from match to match. After dropping 12 spots in the CCCWVCA State Top 25 Rankings due to disappointing losses to Grossmont and Rio Hondo last week, new #22 PCC found its game in upsetting visiting #9 East Los Angeles in four sets on Wednesday night.
The Lancers (9-4 overall) improved to 2-1 in South Coast Conference play while halting ELAC's 10-match win streak. Featuring a strong blocking and defensive unit, the Huskies dropped to 14-2 and 2-1.
PCC looked more like the squad that earned a #10 rating only 10 days ago in impressive play throughout the lineup, led by outstanding defense from libero Makayla Chiechi, who tallied 28 digs. Chiechi saved numerous balls with acrobatic plays as both teams pushed through long rallies and had to earn their points.
Middle blocker Ashley Gilbert got things rolling by powering a perfect 5-for-5 on swings in a 25-15 set 1 win for PCC. In the second set, ELAC grabbed a 16-13 lead before outside hitter Emma Yogan started hitting bombs. Yogan scored four kills in a 7-1 run that included a 5-0 serving run by setter Lindsay Delgadillo.
Delgadillo calmly set to the right players at the right times as she turned to OH Reese Roper for three hard-hitting kills before a block by Yogan capped a 25-21 set 2 victory and a commanding 2-0 lead.
The Huskies have their best team ever and it showed in the third set as they controlled the net play and forced PCC into 10 attack errors for a 25-16 win.
In the fourth set, Yogan served an ace to open the set in a 5-0 run, then Roper ripped three more kills for a 9-2 Lancers advantage. A dump kill by Delgadillo was followed by a rare kill by frosh defensive specialist/setter Kamea Vongfak as the lead jumped to 13-3.
With the PCC football team urging the Lancers from the stands, the fans erupted when sub freshman OH Chayse Hoon rifled a kill that made it 22-16.
ELAC didn't quit and saved three match points capped on an ace by Alejandra Alfaro. The winning point turned out to be the contest's longest play rally with 16 exchanges over the net before a set error by the Huskies closed out a 25-21 triumph and an important match victory.
"We showed resilience tonight and even did so after a rough third set," said PCC head coach Mike Terrill. "We changed our matchups in the fourth set and served tougher. I thought Mak had one of her better matches and showed the potential to change the game defensively. Ariana Pedroza and Ashley Gilbert stepped up for us and Chayse Hoon came in and gave us a big boost off the bench.
"Lindsay continues to lead our offense well. Most of all, I'm proud of the entire group, showing toughness, a strong mindset and playing with unity."
Roper scored 13 kills, had 19 digs and set three points while Yogan tallied 13 kills and 11 digs. Gilbert added eight kills, middle blocker Pedroza six kills and two blocks, and Hoon delivered five kills, two block assists, and an ace.
Delgadillo was at her best with 41 assists, three kills, two aces and 14 digs.
For ELAC, Alejandra Larios scored 13 kills and 15 digs, Roselia Cazares had 12 kills and 18 digs whle Kiara Davis was a force on the block with seven (two solos) and eight kills. The two teams defenses were a draw with 89 digs each.
On Sept. 15, PCC suffered a 4-set defeat at Rio Hondo in a match that saw the Lancers have a 10-point lead evaporate in the third set and held a 17-10 lead in the fourth set before the Roadrunners roared back. Now #21-ranked RHC won by scores of 23-25, 27-25, 25-23, 26-24. In all the Lancers were only outscored 101-97, showing just how a few better plays might have tilted things the other way.
Delgaldillo became the first PCC setter in six years to reach 50 assists (51), Chiechi reached 32 digs, the most by a Lancer also since 2017 and tied for the fifth highest, single-match total in school history. Yogan tied her career high with 22 kills while opposite Kyley Chang scored 13 kills and five blocks. Gilbert added nine kills and six blocks.
PCC travels to face Cerritos College (5-2, 0-2) on Friday, Sept. 22 in a 6 p.m. SCC contest.