After moving up to #8 on this week's State Top 25 Rankings, the Pasadena City College women's volleyball team continued to use the power of the serve to extend a sets win streak to 21 in a row, collecting its seventh straight sweep over Rio Hondo, 21-9, 21-17, 21-17, on Friday night.
PCC is also enjoying the friendly confines of Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium, upping its home record to 11-1 and overall record to 13-3. The Lancers are 2-0 in South Coast Conference North Division play.
Against Rio Hondo, in the third set, the Lancers landed an amazing eight aces in the first 19 points alone v. a defensive-minded Roadrunners team. Sophomore libero Juyeon Lee served up three in a row and four in a 6-0 sideout run that turned a close set into a 19-9 PCC advantage.
Overall, Lee landed six of the team's 15 aces along with seven set assists and 10 digs as she continues to be the Lancers most consiistent defender and server. Lee is tied for the SCC lead in aces with 32, averaging 0.60 per set.
Outside hitter Diana Magallon and setter Melissa Monterroza (plus 11 assists and eight digs) each scored three aces and OH Bobbie Torres, who powered 13 kills, added two serves for points.
Another force for PCC is 6-foot-1, freshman middle blocker Delaney Blied, who swung for a .444 percentage with eight kills. Blied is third in the state in hitting percentage at .447.
Outside hitter Leah Millage added five kills, OH Payton Scott four, and opposite Mahrie Bedjakian three.
In Wednesday's SCC North opener, the Lancers wiped out hapless Los Angeles City, 25-8, 25-4, 25-1, using all 19 players suited for the evening. Outside hitter Sabiya Esquivel came within one ace of tying a school record as she scored 10 of the team's season-high 21 aces. Setter Julianna Wilson added five aces (plus 10 assists) and Lee had four.
Opposite Sophia Jones knocked down seven kills in just eight swings, setter JanetMarie Reyes dished out 11 assists, MB Machijah Harville collected three blocks, and MB Savannah Curtis picked up three kills. PCC hit .500 as a team (37 kills in 60 attempts, only seven attack errors).
The Lancers have piled up 51 aces in the last three matches alone and stand tied for fifth in the state in ace-per-set average at 2.89.
"We have prided ourselves on our ability to serve and pass and we feel that we have so many players who are smart and talented on the serve. Everything starts there offensively," said PCC head coach Mike Terrill. "Juyeon spearheads our serve, and really that's just one part of her many abiliites. She has been a steady, experienced court leader, one of the best liberos we've ever had at PCC. Her volleyball IQ is off the charts."
Lee is averaging 3.74 digs per set and has been perfect on serve receive in her last 84 attempts over a span of six matches.
PCC's sets streak has been one of domination as the team has nearly doubled opponents in scoring with an average win of 25-12.7 points per game.
The Lancers embark on a stretch of six straight road matches as that adventure begins on Wednesday, Oct. 8 when they face state #12-ranked Mt. San Antonio. The Mounties are 11-5 and tied with PCC for the division lead at 2-0. The two colleges shared last year's SCC North championship.
