(Torrance, CA) Two-time defending South Coast Conference Champion Long Beach City College and El Camino College dominated the 2019 Pairs Tournament Friday (4/19) at El Camino College.
Mt. SAC was represented with all five pairs teams, but failed to advance to the CCCAA So CAL Regionals.
All five Mounties teams competed hard and most of them were in close matches, but the pairs season came to an end.
"We are definitely disappointed in our pair's finish, as we expected that our two pairs' teams of Julianna Gomez/Samantha Neely and Malia Carr/Shaiann Palos had a great opportunity to make it to the quarters," Mt. SAC Beach Volleyball coach Ali Carey-Oliver said. "Their opponents came to play and did a great job. We just weren't aggressive enough today."
"That being said, we are anxiously awaiting the beach seeding meeting and expect to get a regional bid as a team. With our wins over Western States champ, Ventura College and 3rd place Pacific Coast finisher, San Diego Mesa, we should get a bid."
In the SCC tournament, the Mounties 4's and 5's competed in a play-in round, with the winners advancing to the quarterfinals.
Mt. SAC No. 5 pair's team of Jocelyn Portillo/Brianda Valdez lost in two close sets, 21-17, 22-20.
The team of Macy Barnes/Jessica Morse, who competed as No. 4's in the season, were outplayed in their first set, 21-8, but completely turned the match around with extra-points, 22-20, to win the second set and tie it at 1-1. They fell, 15-8 in the third set.
The remaining three Mounties' pair teams all competed in the round of 16 with the winners advancing to the conference quarterfinals.
Mt. SAC's top team of Julianna Gomez/Samantha Neely, who competed as No. 1's all season and received a No. 3 seed, came, oh so close to advancing. They lost the first set, 21-19, but battled back to tie the match at 1-1 with a 22-20 win. The third and final set went to extra points with them eventually falling short, 16-14.
Mt. SAC 3's, Lindsey Lane/Alysha Tullar were seeded No.11 and fell by the exact same three-set score as Gomez/Neely, 19-21, 22-20, 16-14.
The final pair, Malia Carr/Shaiann Palos, seeded No. 7, lost in straight sets, 21-13, 21-17.
The CCCAA Beach Volleyball seeding meeting is this Saturday (4/27). The So Cal Regional matches are Tuesday (4/30). The four conference champions - Long Beach City College, Ventura, Grossmont and Irvine Valley - will host the regional matches. Twelve teams will qualify for the regionals, with each site hosting three teams.
The four winners will advance to the CCCAA State Championships to be held May 9th - 11th at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center.
South Coast Conference Pairs Tournament
Mt. SAC Results:
Play-In Round
Jocelyn Lacroix/Jordyn Bonitz (ECC) def. Macy Barnes/Jessica Morse (Mt. SAC), 21-8, 20-22, 15-8
Kelly Donatucci/Jessica Villasenor (ECC) def. Jocelyn Portillo/Brianda Valdez (Mt. SAC), 21-17, 22-20
Round of 16
Peterson/E. Woods (LBCC) def. #3 Julianna Gomez/Samantha Neely (MSAC) 19-21, 22-20, 16-14
#6 Jessica Blakeman/Kylee Irwin-Paz (LBCC) def. #11 Lindsey Lane/Alysha Tullar (Mt.SAC), 19-21, 22-20, 16-14
#10 Mikayla Clark/Moe Ikeda (ECC) def. #7 Malia Carr/Shaiann Palos (Mt. SAC), 21-13, 21-17