State #17 Women's Volleyball Upends #11 Rio Hondo In 4

After losing the first set, 25-23, the state #17-ranked Pasadena City College women's volleyball felt it had something to prove v. #11 Rio Hondo on Breast Cancer Awareness Night at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium. The Lancers proceeded to play their best volleyball of the 2023 season in a resounding 4-set victory where they outscored the Roadrunners, 75-47, over the last three games on Wednesday evening.

The Lancers stopped South Coast Conference first-place Rio Hondo's 10-match win streak and ended an undefeated run for the Roadrunners (14-4 overall) in SCC play, now 9-1. PCC also avenged a 4-set defeat v. Rio Hondo on Sept. 15.

Pasadena's home win streak is now at 8 straight as it improved to 14-6 overall and now in sole possession of third place in conference at 7-3.

The PCC block came up huge, led by the play of middle blockers Ashley Gilbert, Itzel Aguayo and opposite Kyley Chang. The team totaled 12 points on blocks alone while Gilbert, a 5-foot-10 letterman, had an impressive performance overall with 10 kills in 19 swings and just one error (hit .474), five blocks, three digs and an ace for a team-high 14 points scored. 

Aguayo, a 6-1 freshman, recorded four kills (hit .308) with no errors in 13 swings while totaling a season-high eight blocks. Chang came off the bench with some booming lefty hits and finished with six kills (.286), five blocks and four digs. 

Another player who stood out was setter Lindsay Delgadillo, who set 30 assists, made nine digs, had three blocks and two kills. Her consistent serving that put Rio Hondo out of system also helped the squad. 

"Ashley, Itzel and Kyley all stepped up their game at the right time and our block really frustrated Rio Hondo," said PCC head coach Mike Terrill, who let a rousing, post-match celebration as he jumped up and down with PCC baseball players who were courtside wearing pink outfits in support of both the team and the night's theme. 

"Our team's mindset has really shifted in the last week-and-a-half. It was a solid performance, especially the last three sets. Outside of some nerves at the service line, we executed the game played hard together."

PCC's sophomore leaders Emma Yogan and Reese Roper both recovered from slow starts to play extremely well both offensively and defensively over the final three sets. Yogan landed 10 kills with 14 digs, three blocks, four set assists and two aces. Roper totaled eight kills, three aces and her 11 digs including many acrobatic diving plays. Libero Makayla Chiechi added nine digs while defensive specialist Kamea Vongfak tallied seven digs and an ace.

PCC hit .474 as a team in the second set victory (25-13) as Roper served a 4-0 run that gave PCC a 19-7 lead. Gilbert pounded six kills and Roper crushed a kill for set point.

In set #3, A Gilbert solo block and Roper ace helped PCC grab a 4-0 advantage. A solo block by Aguayo and a combined block by Aguayo and Chang increased the lead to 11-4. Up 22-16, Chang bombed a kill, Chang and Aguayo stuffed a RHC attack for another block kill, and Aguayo landed set point at 25-16. 

In the fourth set, Rio Hondo trailed just 10-9, but PCC upped it to 16-13 on a kill by Chang. Appropriately, Yogan and Aguayo combined for the match-point block for a 25-18 win as the gym erupted over upsetting the Roadrunners.

PCC travels to face #22 East Los Angeles on Friday, Oct. 19 in a 6 p.m. SCC match. As it stands now, Rio Hondo tops the SCC at 9-1, followed by #16 Long Beach City in second place (8-2) and the Lancers now in third, two games back of RHC. ELAC and #14 Mt. San Antonio are tied for fourth at 6-4 conference marks.

Coach Terrill (left side) lets out some emotions with the rest of his team and PCC baseball players
moments after clinching the win.