El Camino Upset Special Adds To SCC Women's Volleyball 2022 Race Intrigue
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After Pasadena City College set a state record by winning more conference matches (18) than any other California Community College women's volleyball conference champion had ever reached last year, the path to the 2022 crown figures to go through the Lancers.
With that knowledge, El Camino, then winless at 0-7, upset state #8 Pasadena in four sets in the SCC opener on Sept. 16 thus creating some hope for the rest of the South Coast.
This season, the conference dropped from nine to seven teams as Compton and LA Harbor were unable to field teams.
PCC (10-3 overall) remains the favorite with strong non-conference victories over ranked teams like Moorpark, Cypress, Canyons, MiraCosta, and Bakersfield.
The Lancers are paced by setter Bia Silva, the team's only returning letterman, who was named CCCWVCA State Player of the Week for her play in the '22 season's opening week. Silva is in the top 5 in the conference in four different statistical categories--#1 in aces per set (third in state in overall aces), #3 in kills, #5 in kill percentage, and #4 in set assists average. Another go-to player is OH Emma Yogan, who leads all SCC players in overall kills and is third in kills per set at 3.25.
Mt. San Antonio, last year's second place finisher, hopes to challenge again as the current #21-ranked team. The Mounties (9-3) are off to a 2-0 start in South Coast play with a 4-set win over Rio Hondo and a sweep of Cerritos. Mt. SAC is paced by 2021 SCC Libero of the Year in Riannel Arevalo, who is averaging 3.79 digs per set (second currently among conference players). Mt. SAC features the conference blocks leader in Leia Campbell at 0.75 per set.
East Los Angeles (8-2, 2-0 in SCC play) is off to one of its best starts in program history, including 4-set conference wins over Long Beach and Cerritos. ELAC made it to the finals of the 8-team, LA Mission Eagle Invitational, losing to Mission in the championship match. Unranked, the Huskies have a win over #23 Mt. San Jacinto and Santa Monica, a team that recently upset Moorpark.
State #23 El Camino (now 2-7) is also 2-0 in conference play and its big win over Pasadena was foreshadowed by one of the state's strongest pre-conference schedules. All seven of the Warriors' losses were against teams that were ranked in the state's top 18. Leafa Juarez, who ripped 28 kills in the PCC win, is the conference leader in kills per set at 3.91 (15th in state). Another leader is setter Jayden Zabala, who paces the conference at 8.53 helpers per set.
Rio Hondo (3-4) has won three of its last four matches and remains a tough opponent. One standout is libero Jaida Zuniga, who is third in the SCC in digs per set (3.44)
It's been a rough start for Long Beach City, now 1-7 and 0-2. The Vikings have a strong hitter in Danika Iosua, second in kills per set at 3.39.
Finally, Cerritos is still searching for its first win in trying to break a 10-match losing streak despite the play of libero Breanna Lizarraga, who leads the SCC in digs and digs average (4.14).
The SCC Tournament of the past few seasons has been scrapped and this year's title will be based solely on who wins out in a 12-match conference schedule.
Release by Robert Lewis, SCC SID