Women's Volleyball In Slump

The Pasadena City College women's volleyball team stands as a bonafide contender for this year's South Coast Conference North Division title, but the team has hit a rough patch in non-conference action. State No. 12-ranked Long Beach City College handed the unranked Lancers their third straight loss, 25-18, 25-14, 25-15, Friday at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium.

PCC (5-8 overall) was led by sophomore opposite hitter Paige Clingaman who had eight kills (hit .250) and letterman outside hitter Vanessa Lopez, who also had eight kills and added a team-high eight digs. Sophomore setter Emily Leung dished out 22 assists. Long Beach (6-3) was paced by towering 6-foot-2 hitter Josannah Vasquez who pounded 14 kills and hit .609 without making an error and outside hitter/setter Sierra Davis who totaled eight kills, 21 assists, and three blocks.

On Sept. 20, PCC also was swept in a non-conference match at Ventura, 25-23, 25-20, 25-21. The Lancers were far more competitive in this match, but the Pirates proved to win the late points in sets to secure their home win. Frosh libero Grace Crawford, who has become a defensive leader for PCC in the past few weeks, delivered 27 digs, which gave her 60 in two straight matches after her season-high 33 in a loss to Citrus. Middle blocker Rachel Johnson added eight kills (hit .318), two aces and two blocks while redshirt freshman outside hitter Kendall Schmedes chipped in seven kills and 12 digs. Sophomore middle blocker Lania Potter had four kills and four blocks.

Pasadena has two more South Coast Conference crossover matches (non-conference for record) next week when it faces Los Angeles Harbor on the road (Wednesday, Sept. 27) and then hosting Cerritos College on Friday, Sept. 29. Both contests are scheduled for 6 p.m. On Wednesday, Oct. 4, PCC begins the 8-match, conference schedule in a home game against Rio Hondo College.