North #5 American River, 2 South low seeds among women's volleyball regional final winners
(Note, a complete CCCAA State Championship Preview with schedule and stats/updates on all eight teams will be released later this week).
In two previous conference meetings, Sierra College beat second-place American River in four sets each on its way to an undefeated Big 8 Conference title. On Saturday, the stakes were higher as #5 seed ARC turned the tables on the #4 Wolverines in a 27-25, 25-21, 30-28 sweep during the Northern Califonia Round 2 Women's Vollyeball Regional Finals. The Beavers joined the North's top three seeds--Feather River, West Valley and Fresno City--in advancing to the CCCAA State Championships Dec. 3-5 at Fresno City College.
Meanwhile, the wacky world of SoCal continued to get freakier with #15 seed "Cinderella" of the Canyons and #13 Grossmont performing two more improbabale upsets, #1 Bakersfield making its way through without getting upset, and two teams waiting to play today (Monday, Nov. 29) after #14 Long Beach City College was forced to forfeit its Round 1 win over #3 San Diego Mesa for use of ineligible player. With a reprieve, Mesa hosts #6 Moorpark to determine the fourth South representative for the state tournament.
Here are recaps of the seven regional finals matches played on Nov. 27
NORTH REGIONALS
ROUND 2
#1 Feather River d. #9 San Joaquin Delta, 25-6, 25-15, 25-14: The Mustangs, a perennial playoff team and the third place squad from the Big 8, never had been held to so few points than what state #1 and NorCal top seed/defending state champion Feather River limited them in this regional final match. It was FRC's 22nd consecutive victory as it has also won its last 26 straight sets. The six points in set 1 marks the first time Delta had been held to lower than 14 this season and the lowest points in a set by a SJD team since the rally points era began 20 years ago. First Team All-American opposite Courtney Oilar led the Golden Eagles with 10 kills (hit .421) and Second Team All-American Madison Gray totaled 13 digs and passed at a 2.45 level. Hannah Shamblin-Taylor added nine kills (.538), Molia Tulia seven kills (.429) while setters Nellie Stevenson (three aces, 15 assists) and Taylor O'Reilly (21 assists) were efficient. Delta (17-10) was led by Savannah LeBarre with 10 kills and Angela Biazon, who totaled 22 digs. FRC improved to 31-1 and will make its third trip to the state tourney since 2017.
#2 West Valley d. #7 San Mateo, 25-13, 25-17, 25-17: The Vikings (21-4) swept the Bulldogs (21-7) for the second time this season in advancing to the state tourney for the second time in three seasons. In the opening set, WVC jumped out to a 12-3 lead, then got three consecutive aces by Kate Blackwell to clinch the game. CSM took a 5-0 lead in set 2, but an Alina Valenti kill capped a 16-5 run that led a 2-0 West Valley sets lead. In the third, San Mateo got as close as 18-16, but a 7-1 run by the Vikings finished off the sweep. Katie Kishton paced the stat sheet with 12 kills, four aces and four blocks. Third Team All-American OH Taylor Tullo swung 10 kills, Valenti had seven kills and three aces, while All-NorCal Region setter Sydney Rogers dished out 26 assists, Blackwell served up five aces, and Flor Porras added a team-high nine digs. San Mateo's All-Region sophomore setter Eyriana Eatmon closed out her Bulldogs career in the defeat.
#3 Fresno City d. #6 Cabrillo, 25-22, 25-17, 25-12: The Rams (30-3) are headed to not only their third straight state tourney, but this one they are hosting as part of the Central Valley College. They ended Cabrillo's six-match win streak and prevented the Seahawks (17-8) a state tourney trip after they had reached six of the previous seven CCCAA Championship events. Third-Team All-American OH Lexi Pagani rifled 16 kills (hit .361) and four blocks while twin sister setter Julia Pagani handed out 37 assists. First Team All-American MB Diamond'Nique Young contributed nine kills and five blocks while Shelby Saporetti nailed eight kills (.583 in just 12 attempts). Sada Taylor chipped in four kills, seven digs and served three aces. All-Region OH Jazmyn Tubbs was a top player for Cabrillo this season.
#5 American River d. #4 Sierra, 27-25, 25-21, 30-28: The Beavers gave Sierra (22-7) a shocking end to a 19-match win streak and the Wolverines season. Like Fresno, ARC (25-6) will also be making its third consecutive trip to the state tourney. Despite winning the last five Big 8 titles, Sierra was left out of the state dance for the fourth straight season (last made it in 2016). Winners of 16 of its last 17 matches, American River rode the thundering swing of All-State OH Awelina Fakalata, who scored 16 kills, spun four aces, and made eight digs. With two sets going extra points, ARC had both go its way in a close match that saw at least 11 ties and six lead changes in each of the three games. In the third set, Sierra took a 16-10 lead but ARC fought back with Kylie Matthews coming up with two huge digs during extra points (she had a team-high 10 digs overall). Hannah Crother added 12 kills and Sabrina Bigley set 27 assists and made three blocks. Aurora Meneghetti contributed six kills (hit .500) and three blocks. All-Region OH Hannah Platt tallied nine kills and four blocks as her Sierra career came to a close.
SOUTH REGIONALS
ROUND 2
#1 Bakersfield d. 9 Orange Coast, 25-23, 25-12, 25-20: The South top-seeded Renegades (22-1) liked its 2018 state tourney trip so much, they will get to make another state journey this week after sweeping the Pirates. A combination of exceptional defense and near-perfect hitting by the middle blockers were keys to victory for Bakersfield in extending its win streak to 19 matches. Libero Yuliana Rivera and DS Nattelynn Burns each made 18 digs while MB duo of First Team All-American Aly Dees (13 kills, .571 attack percentage) and Tia Jules (13 kills, hit .600) combined to make only two errors between them in 41 attempts. Setters Francesca Hernandez, who recorded 30 assists, and Samantha Smith, who totaled 10 assists, 16 digs and five aces, were instrumental in understanding the team needed to go to the hot hands of the middles. OCC led 19-16 in the first set, but the Renegades responded with late kills by Dees and Jules to take the set. In the second set, Smith and Burns combined for two 5-0 serving runs and were responsible for 17 sideout points in a runaway win. In the third set, Orange Coast switched to a 6-2 offense with middle blockers Summer Hanks and Paige Cutwright putting pressure on Bakersfield's defense. OCC led 12-8 and 15-13, but the Renegades made defensive adjustments, using a 7-2 run to cap the sweep. OCC (20-6) played the match with heavy hearts after long-time assistant coach Adrian Delgado, 56, passed away from liver cancer on Friday.
#13 Grossmont d. #5 Santa Barbara City, 21-25, 25-16, 25-21, 25-15: Traditionally, the Griffins (19-4) have been a high seed, but this has been an odd year where their regular season schedule didn't produce a high-enough RPI. SBCC (23-5) used its home advantage to take the first set, but Grossmont made some adjusments and completely took control over the last three games in an "upset" victory in four sets over the Vaqueros. Middle blocker Lexi Morris continued to lead Grossmont as she delivered 10 kills (hit .320) and controlled the net play with six blocks. Setter Sydney Frigerio (54 assists) had a field day spreading the ball to OH Madison Bogle (18 kills) and RS Brooklyn Anderson, who belted 13 kills (hit .455). Defensively, libero Rylee Suggett was huge with 26 digs while Kourtney Hitt made 17 digs. For Santa Barbara, All-SoCal Region libero Jacelin McKie totaled 13 digs and set a team-high 22 assists. Emma Crabbe added 17 digs, four aces, and three kills while Bella Johnson scored 10 kills. Sporting a 6-match win streak, Grossmont is 2-for-2 in state tourney trips under head coach Brooke Callahan, who was an interim HC when the Griffins played in the '19 championships.
#15 Canyons d. #10 Ventura, 19-25, 16-25, 25-22, 25-18, 15-10: There is nothing like a team that has nothing to lose and that seems to be the case for College of the Canyons, who produced their second upset in a row in an epic rally from 2-0 sets down to shock the host Pirates in five sets. COC (16-10) trailed 20-18 with Ventura (18-7) five points away from punching its state tourney ticket, but it was not to be for the Pirates, who also lost to Canyons in five sets 11 days earlier in the regular season finale for both teams. COC trailed that one, 2-1 sets before using smoke and mirrors for a 26-24 win in set 4, then a 15-12 match-clinching fifth set. In the regional final, Canyons entire lineup made plays in a 7-2 run capped by a Caitlin Liebe kill that won set 3. In set 4, Canyons held a 10-8 lead, then exploded with a 10-4 run in going on to tie the match at 2-2. In each of the Cougars' three playoff wins, a reserve player came out of nowhere to supply huge offense. Against Mt. San Jacinto, it was Ariana Vargas doubling her season-high with 16 kills in a 5-set win. In the Round 1 sweep over #2 Pasadena City, Jacqueline Ibarra scored eight kills after having just 13 combined in five previous matches. And against Ventura, it was Brianna Botello, who didn't even play v. PCC, who came off the bench to score 13 kills, hit .345 and serve two aces. In the decisive fifth set, Ventura took a 3-1 lead, but COC roared back on a Botello kill for a 5-4 advantage. Botello then went on a killfest, flooring three straight points for a 10-5 lead. When the chips are on the line, though, it's been stalwart Damani Harvey who has been a big factor the entire postseason and the OH scored three kills, including match point for the incredible comeback finish. Harvey finished with 14 kills (.310), nine digs and three aces. Liebe added 11 kills and Abby Sherman was a passing/serving demon as she set 39 assists, had 14 digs, and served three aces. Canyons is making its third trip to the state tourney since 2015. Ventura was led by Second Team All-American setter Nevada Knowles, who put on a show to try to advance the Pirates with 43 assists, eight kills (.636 attack), four aces and nine digs. Alexis Baloyo added 15 kills for Ventura.
Release by Robert Lewis, CCCWVCA SID