Women's Volleyball: Better Bia-lieve In Lancers in 2022

Last season, the Pasadena City College women's volleyball team had a historic 18-0 run to the South Coast Conference title, ran off a 20-match overall win streak, and earned the #2 seed in the regional playoffs. All of that success was thanks to a key group of mostly veteran sophomore players. The 2022 Lancers have nearly a completely new group save for just one returning sophomore--and that letterman is already paying dividends.

Returning setter Bia Silva helped carry the Lancers to a pair of victories at the season-opening PCC Quad tourney held Friday at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium. Silva produced a rare triple-double with 16 kills, 23 set assists, and 16 digs and served seven aces as Pasadena rallied twice down a set at 1-0 and 2-1 to defeat MiraCosta, 18-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23, 15-13.

In the opener's fifth set, Silva powered two kills, dished out five assists and put on a defensive show with eight digs. During the final set, PCC led 8-4, but MiraCosta tied it at 13-13. Silva set Emma Yogan for a kill and then on match point, the 5-foot-9 sophomore twice made point-saving digs before lefty opposite Kyley Chang landed the winning kill. 

Yogan, a 5-10 outside hitter from Washington state (Glacier Peak High), scored 15 kiills while Chang (from Alhambra High) hit .423 overall to also reach 15 kills. Makayla Chiechi, a libero from Claremont HS, totaled a match-high 22 digs and added five set assists while setter Lindsay Delgadillo (Los Altos High) tallied 19 assists and served three of the team's 15 aces. 

In the afternoon match, Cypress and PCC was tied 7-7, but the Chargers routed the Lancers for a 10-point, first-set victory. From that point on, it was all Lancers and once again a Silva production as she scored a career-high 14 kills, hit .481, handed out 13 assists, made three blocks and served three aces in a 15-25, 25-13, 25-17, 25-13 triumph. 

After hitting negative (-.034) in the first set, the Lancers hit .304 over the last three sets, including an impressive .444 with only one error in the fourth game. Yogan scored 12 kills and served five of the squad's 13 aces while Ashley Marrone, a 5-10 outside hitter from Arcadia High, pounded nine kills off the bench. Chiechi made 19 digs, had six assists and three aces while Emily Licon, a libero from St. Lucy's Priory HS, added 13 kills. Ashley Gilbert, a 5-10 middle blocker from Fresno's Central East High, contributed three kills and five blocks.

"Bia played very well and Emma shined in her college debut. The first match was a very good result, but it shows our youth and that we have a lot to learn," said PCC head coach Mike Terrill, who has three SCC titles in now his sixth season in charge of the program.

"In the second match, we were a bit shell-shocked in set one but had a solid response and made good adjustments. I was proud of our service pressure (28 total aces in two matches), we got our middles involved, and played better defensively. It's a good first day of 2022 for our program. We have a challenge ahead of us with the rest of our pre-conference schedule. But it's going to be fun to watch this group develop."

Outside hitter Leslie Pacheco (Gabrielino HS), middle blocker Ariana Pedroza (West Covina), middle blocker Reese Roper (Colusa), and libero Karmen Turner (Analy High) round out the team's large freshmen class of 11.

The Lancers return to action on Wednesday, Aug. 31 in a road match at Ventura College. First serve is 6 p.m.