Women's Volleyball Round 1 Regionals: Home Seeds All Advance
The eight home seeds held serve in advancing with victories in the Round 1 of the Regional Women's Volleyball Playoffs on Saturday.
Here are recaps of the wins:
NORTH
No. 13 Coalinga d. No. 20 Yuba, 3-0 (25-14, 25-11, 25-20)
The Falcons (16-10) swept the 49ers (9-15), who snuck into the playoffs as an automatic second place qualifier from the Bay Valley Conference. All-Central Valley South Division First Teamers Amber Cerny, who slammed 15 kills (hit .387) with 14 digs and Aurora Sotelo, who had 10 kills and served three aces, led Coalinga as did Kambri Mckeeman totaling 17 digs and landing four aces. Fatima Cano, who was second in the BVC in kills per set at 3.47 average, was Yuba's best player this season. Coalinga faces #4 Monterey Peninsula in Round 2 on Tuesday.
No. 14 Modesto d. No. 19 Lassen, 3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-14)
The Pirates (20-10) dropped the first set but stayed the course to get past the Cougars (17-15) in four. Modesto picked the right night to have its best hitting percentage of the season at .361 as All-Big 8 Second Team OH Alicia Souza tied her career-high with 21 kills, Emerson Garcia set also a personal best with 45 assists, and Courtney Washburn decided to her best night as well with eight blocks (four solos) plus six kills. Pacey Harris, who reached the 500 digs mark in the regular season, paced Lassen. Modesto next goes straight into the lion's den when it faces #3 (state #1-ranked) Feather River on Tuesday.
No. 15 Solano d. No. 18 Clovis, 3-2 (25-22, 17-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)
The Bay Valley Conference champion Falcons (22-11) rallied from 2-1 down to advance past the Crush (14-10), who made the postseason in their first season ever of volleyball competition, in four sets. Aliyah Aguilar ripped 19 kills while Giana Guintu totaled eight kills, set 18 assists and made a match-high 25 digs. BVC MVP Kaylie Reyes was also huge with 12 kills, 18 assists and four aces. Clovis had four players reach double digits in kills, led by 17 from Juliana Sanchez. Ashley Robles dished out 46 assists and Lyric Garcia had 10 kills and defended 24 digs. On a 16-match win streak, Solano advances to face #2 Taft on Tuesday.
No. 16 Reedley d. No. 17 Ohlone, 3-1 (25-21, 25-22, 18-25, 25-22)
The Tigers (14-15) have been a crafty team at times this season and used a solid middle attack to defeat the Renegades (20-15), a team that swept Reedley in an earlier encounter on Sept. 24, in four sets. Paige Beard powered 11 kills and stuffed four solo blocks, Olivia Gray posted a season-high 22 digs (and eight kills) while Kenadi Walton led the offense scoring 16 kills, six in the opening set, and made three blocks for Reedley's leaders. Ohlone was led by Alicia Cornejo's monster defensive effort of a season-high 37 digs while Hannah Issenmann and Avery Bland each recorded 10 kills. Reedley faces #1 seed San Joaquin Delta on Tuesday.
SOUTH
No. 13 Golden West d. No. 20 Citrus, 3-0 (25-19, 25-8, 25-20)
The Rustlers (18-4) swept the Owls (15-13) as they have relied on the talented outside hitting tandem of All-Orange Empire Conference First Team selections Jalissa Costa (3.86 kills average) and Jenna Zafino (3.36). Golden West is peaking at the right time, winning 11 of its last 12 matches including taking a set from undefeated/OEC champion Orange Coast in a 4-set loss on Nov. 7. Citrus was led this season by All-Western State Conference First Team OH Sophia Martinez, who led the South Division in kills average at 3.64. Shaylen McFoy had a team-high six kills and three solo blocks last night. GWC plays at #4 Santa Barbara City on Tuesday.
Jalissa Costa in action for Golden West
No. 14 Long Beach City d. No. 19 Saddleback, 3-1 (25-17, 25-13, 21-25, 25-16)
The South Coast South Division champion Vikings (17-9) have won 15 of their past 16 and got past the Bobcats (16-7) in four sets. LBCC is led by SCC South MVP Ryleeh Tuaolo, who led the conference in blocks average (0.89 average per set, 70 total) and division Freshman of the Year Kyla Jones, who totaled 14 kills and hit .323. Another key player v. Saddleback was Marissa Krebs who floored 14 kills (.346). Making its fourth straight regional playoff appearance, Saddleback lost for the second time this season v. Long Beach. The Bobcats have a solid 6-foot-2 MB in All-OEC Sadie Holmes, who averages .87 blocks and 2.2 kills this season as well as All-OEC First Team setter Delaney Hughes. Long Beach faces #3 Orange Coast on Tuesday.
No. 15 MiraCosta d. No. 18 Mt. San Jacinto, 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-22)
The Spartans (16-10) swept the Eagles (13-11), beating MSJC for the second time this season. Despite being the fifth place team from the much-improved Pacific Coast Athletic Conference, MC earned a playoff spot and seized the opportunity thanks to PCAC Libero of the Year Abigale Glassett, who averages 4.09 digs per set, and All-PCAC First Team OH Willow Snow. OH Daija Malcolm, second in the Inland Empire Conference in kills average at 4.21, led Mt. San Jacinto to its third straight appearance in postseason play. MiraCosta next plays #2 LA Mission on Tuesday.
No. 16 San Bernardino Valley d. No. 17 Canyons, 3-2 (19-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-12, 15-7)
The Wolverines (15-8) fought back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to take control and advance past the feisty Cougars (11-15) in five sets. SBVC is on a 6-match win streak were paced by Devi'arre Lucas, who attacked 17 kills with 14 digs and five aces, Emersyn Ebel, who set 18 assists with 22 Digs, and Cielo Rodriguez, who scored 11 Kills and served four aces. Canyons, always a hard team to face in the postseason, was led by Katelyn Nelson, who topped Western State South players in hitting percentage this season at .403. Against SBVC, Sofia Miranda recorded 10 kills (hit .357) and added 15 digs while Morgan Dumlao added 31 assists and three aces. San Bernardino punches a ticket to play South #1 seed San Diego Mesa on Tuesday.
Release by Robert Lewis, CCCWVCA SID