Pasadena Makes Perfect Trip To SCC Women's Volleyball Championship

It took 18 victories, including two at the South Coast Conference Championship Tournament on Nov. 13, but Pasadena City College persevered to complete a perfect 18-0 run to the SCC title. The #1-seeded Lancers (23-1 overall) were pushed to the brink in the finals by #2 seed Mt. San Antonio, rallying from 1-0 and 2-1 set deficits to clinch the crown in five sets, 22-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 15-12. The tourney semifinals and finals were held Saturday at El Camino College. 

The state #3-ranked Lancers were led by SCC Tournament MVP Camila Sanchez-Tellez, who pounded a team season-high 21 kills in the title match.

Leading 22-21 in the fourth set, setter Nayeli SalasOrtiz made one of the match's biggest plays as her surprising 2-hand attack from set position toward the backline dropped in for a kill to end a long rally and prevent a Mt. SAC tie. Middle blocker Danae Johnson landed a kill on set point to send the title match to a winner-to-take-all set to 15.

In the fifth, PCC trailed 3-1, led 8-5, then was tied at 8-8. At that point, Bia Silva's third kill of the set gave PCC its final lead at 9-8. Mt. SAC's Michelle Walters cut the advantage to 13-12, but a service error by the Mounties was followed by opposite/middle blocker Sanchez-Tellez taking a set from Annie Lay and blasting an attack down the right side line for match point as the Lancers team swarmed her in celebration of the championship victory. Sabiya Esquivel followed Sanchez-Tellez with 13 kills and Nalani Young added seven kills, 17 digs, four aces and six set assists. For state #12 Mt. SAC, JJ Quarrels scored 18 kills. 

In the three matches that PCC played Mt. SAC during conference play, the Lancers outscored the Mounties by a low total margin, 301-286.

SCC Tournament

November 13
Semifinals

#1 Pasadena d. #5 Cerritos, 25-15, 25-11, 25-19: Sanchez-Tellez tallied nine kills and Monet Latunde eight kills (hit .467) in the sweep over the Falcons. 
#2 Mt. San Antonio d. #3 Long Beach, 25-23, 25-21, 25-17: Riley DeGroot totaled nine kills and 22 digs, Quarrels 13 kills, and Ally Euston set 30 assists in the sweep over LBCC. Pearlnaiah Tuliau also delivered 30 assists for the state #23-ranked Vikings. 

November 12
Quarterfinals

at #3 Long Beach d. #6 Rio Hondo, 25-16, 25-20, 25-18
at #5 Cerritos d. at #4 El Camino, 22-25, 25-18, 18-25, 25-22, 15-13: Madison Borja slammed 18 kills with 21 digs, Jayda Harris-Amete 19 kills and 17 digs, and Carissa Mendibles dished out 55 assists in the Falcons' mild upset over the Warriors. For ECC, Brea Rutledge scored 20 kills.

All-SCC Tournament Team
MVP--Sanchez-Tellez, Pasadena CC
Esquivel, Pasadena CC
Euston, Mt. San Antonio
Quarrels, Mt. San Antonio
Borja, Cerritos
Tuliau, Long Beach