Posted: Apr 15, 2020

2020 Season Interrupted: Highlights From South Coast Conference Beach Volleyball

Giulia Alessandri in action for the state #1-ranked El Camino College women's beach volleyball team.

With the sudden stoppage in early March of the 2020 South Coast Conference women's beach volleyball season due to the worldwide health crisis, the end result produced no champion and no All-SCC Team but it doesn't take away from the performances of the teams and their individuals. Here's a recap of SCC beach volleyball highlights.

STANDINGS

https://southcoastconf.com/sports/beachvball/index

With CCCAA state team title aspirations dancing in their heads after a 10-1 start to the 2020 season, El Camino College saw its efforts dashed with the cancellation of the '20 year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Warriors had just been rated #1 on the AVCA State Top 10 back on March 10 after recording 5-0 shutout wins over both #4 San Diego Mesa and #9 Cypress on Feb. 28.

ECC was tied with 2-time defending South Coast champion Long Beach City College with 2-0 conference records.

The Warriors were loaded with talent including the #1 duo of Brooke Drahos (local Redondo Union High product) and Giulia Alessandri (from Italy) and the #2 pair of Caitlin Donatucci and Kylee Glickman, who was the conference's individual pairs champion in 2019 with graduated Phina'Leilua.

While the Vikings were 2-3 overall, including a 4-1 loss to #7-rated Ventura, they would never get the opportunity to meet El Camino in conference play. LBCC's initial top pair was Alyssa Sehman (from Florida) and Kailey Bruyere (Los Alamitos HS).

Mt. San Antonio was 2-5 in the young season and 1-1 in SCC play, but the Mounties had played well in close 3-2 losses to #8-ranked Orange Coast, Grossmont and Moorpark. Mt. SAC recorded its lone conference win over College of the Desert, 3-2. Mt. SAC's top pair was Macy Barnes and Carolina Urquieta.

Rio Hondo was 4-5 overall and 1-1 in SCC play thanks in part to their top duo of Vania Maciel and Nicole Vasquez. The Roadrunners had early-season victories over Golden West, Santa Ana, and Palomar. Desert had a strong #1 duo of Katie Geiberger-Teigen and Evanne Jimenez and was 1-6 at the season's ending.

Victor Valley was winless at 0-4 but featured the #1 pair of Jaimee Clark and Genesis Collado.

In what has been the fastest growing sport addition to a bevy of state community colleges, beach volleyball in the SCC hopes to make a big return in the 2021 season.

College of the Desert in action during a 2020 match.