Volleyball Splits Host PCC Quad

It was all hands on deck Saturday when the Pasadena City College women's volleyball team turned to its reserves by the second half of the PCC Quad tourney at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium. While the Lancers swept Antelope Valley in the opening match, an injury-riddled squad ran into a spirited Citrus College team in the afternoon finale.

Against Citrus, the Lancers (5-6) trailed 1-0 and 2-1 in sets but forced a fifth game. They trailed 8-4 at the break before going on a 6-0 run to take the advantage at 10-8. With just one mainstay starter left on the floor by the final few plays, Pasadena just couldn't put away the feisty Owls despite holding match point at 14-13, 15-14 and 16-15. Citrus outlasted PCC to win the match, 14-25, 25-16, 17-25, 25-20, 19-17. The marathon contest lasted 2 hours, 15 minutes.

PCC frosh libero Grace Crawford had to leave the match during the early part of the fifth set due to injury after putting on a display of defensive wizardry. Crawford raced all over the floor, and dug out many difficult attacks by Citrus. She finished with 33 digs (32 in the first four sets) for the second-highest single match total in PCC history behind a 2013 record 36 digs by Saige Spence set against Orange Coast. 

Sophomore outside hitter Vanessa Lopez finished with 15 kills and 18 digs while letterman opposite/OH Paige Clingaman also placed 15 kills. At middle blocker, freshman Rachel Johnson scored nine kills, seven digs and served two aces. Frosh setter Tehya Topalian tallied 34 assists with three aces while sophomore MB Lania Potter had seven kills and three block assists. Frosh MB Izzy Hernandez added four kills and a team-high seven block assists. First-year OH Camille Ferguson chipped in four kills and 11 digs, and rookie setter Heather Collado made 16 set assists. Freshman OH Jada O'Mally scored three of her five kills in the dramatic fifth set.

"We faced a lot of adversity against Citrus. We had to make adjustments on the fly and insert players situationally," said PCC head coach Mike Terrill. "We had some players that showed heart late in that match. We learned that we have to to start putting team first before the individual. For us to get better, we have to be all in as a team."

Against AVC, PCC won by scores of 25-14, 25-15, 25-19. Lopez spun a double-double with 12 kills and 13 digs while Clingaman hit .412 on nine kills in 17 attempts. Rachel Johnson had six kills and both Hernandez and Ferguson accounted for five kills each. Crawford made 12 digs.