The Pasadena City College women's volleyball team clinched the program's first conference title in three years and fourth under head coach Mike Terrill as the Lancers celebrated Sophomore Night with a regular season-ending victory over Los Angeles City, 25-8, 25-20, 25-5, on Friday night.
The Lancers, ranked #20 in the most recent State Top 25 Rankings, close the regular season at 16-12 overall and shared the North crown with #14 Mt. San Antonio. But because the Lancers lost the sets differential with Mt SAC, 5-4, the Mounties receive the automatic bid for the upcoming SoCal Regional Playoffs.
For PCC, making the postseason has been a regular thing with six straight playoff appearances since 2017. But this season is not etched in stone yet as the Lancers are currently #18 in the all-important RPI ratings. With 20 teams qualifying and 12 more matches to be played in the Southland today and on Nov. 19, the team's fate will be determined officially when the seedings are announced on Nov. 21.
The uncertainty of the postseason mystery didn't take away from PCC's celebration of the program's six sophomores--Emily Licon, Chayse Hoon, Kamea Vongfak, Shaylee Ungos, transfer Biko Hollie, and Daniela Millot, a redshirt freshman who is graduating from PCC this school year.
Licon, a libero, received a Golden Ball from the PCC coaching staff in a brief ceremony before the finale in becoming the fifth Lancer to achieve 600 digs in her career. She leads the South Coast Conference in digs per set at 4.63, making her ninth in the state in that category. With six service aces v. LACC, her 41 season total is #6 in the conference.
Hoon reached the 300-kill mark by pounding 12 kills in 17 swings (.588). She is #2 in the SCC in overall kills (302) and in total points with 322.5.
One of the state's top 6-rotation players at outside hitter, Hollie added to her conference-leading kills total with 11 (hit .526), giving her 347 to go with a team-high seven digs and three aces. She is also tops in the SCC in total points (391, 14th in state) and kills per set (3.65) while third in the South Coast in overall digs with 288.
Hollie needs 12 defensive tallies to become the first Lancer since Nalani Young in 2019 to do a double-300 in kills and digs.
Vongfak has quietly put up strong numbers as the team's main setter as she leads the SCC in both assists per set at 6.38 (600 total) and aces with 51. Ungos, a setter-opposite, is second on the team in set assists with 275, third in kills (110) and blocks (31), and has added 132 digs. Millot, who had a career best 14 kills in a win v. Citrus, has been a steady performer off the PCC bench.
In the LACC win, frosh middle blocker Brianna Galvan scored five kills and five blocks, MB Mahrie Bedjakian three kills and three blocks, and Maggie Hunter two kills.
On Nov. 13, the Lancers beat Rio Hondo in four sets on the road, 22-25, 25-18, 25-10, 25-6. Hoon scored 18 kills, Hollie nine with 13 digs, Hunter five kills, Licon 16 digs, and Marina Segura added 11 digs and three aces. Segura is tied for second in the SCC in service points with 45.
"We're happy with a number of players who have been among the leaders in the conference," Terrill said. "Winning a conference title feels good and I hope the players know that it's something to cherish as they get older. We battled through some adversity earlier this year to win 11 of our last 14 matches. At this point, we just want to make it into the playoffs because I really believe we have the ability when we follow our game plan to beat any South team."
Look for the team's All-SCC selections to be announced next week.
