Toughest Schedule Ever For Younger 2024 PCC Women's Volleyball Team

After utilizing a heavy-laden sophomore starting lineup last year, Pasadena City College women's volleyball head coach Mike Terrill wasn't satisfied with the end result--a second round elimination in the SoCal Regional Playoffs.

Determined to truly test a more youthful 2024 Lancers squad and prepare it for a potentially longer postseason run, the Lancers coach figured why not play the best of the best in a what is certainly the toughest overall schedule in the program's history.

So far so good as the Lancers swept two matches over Cypress, 25-17, 25-19, 25-9, and Grossmont, 25-20, 25-23, 25-23, in Friday's season-opening PCC Tri tourney. 

Despite bringing in 12 freshmen and returning just three players from last year's unit, PCC faces seven of the eight teams that participated in the 2023 3C2A State Championships, eight of the top 10 ranked teams in the final CCCWVCA State Top 25, 11 of the 17 teams that won conference titles, and play 16 matches against squads ranked in the final top 22. The Lancers finished as the #18 team on last year's rankings.

The daunting schedule features matches against defending state champion San Diego Mesa (Sept. 11), #2 Feather River (Aug. 31), #3 Grossmont, #4 Irvine Valley (Sept. 13), #5 San Joaquin Delta (Aug. 30), #7 Fresno City (Aug. 30), #8 Ventura (Aug. 28), and #9 Sierra (Aug. 31). Throw in contests v. #12 Rio Hondo (twice in South Coast Conference play), #13 Mt. San Antonio (also twice in conference), #17 Moorpark, #20 Cypress, #21 Long Beach City and #22 Santa Barbara City and the squad will be vaulted into tough matchups on a near nightly basis.

Add in matches also v. Inland Empire co-champions Mt. San Jacinto and San Bernardino Valley as well as two matches v. another '23 playoff team in East Los Angeles and that doesn't leave much breathing room or margin of error for the Lancers.

Terrill feels his team has more athleticism than maybe any in his previous seasons. 

"Our schedule is tough but we have a group that wants to be tested," Terrill said. "We have a confident team that is ready for the challenge. We're more excited about our demeanor, keeping our focus on the present moment and putting our best effort in everything we do. We'll let the results take care of themselves."

PCC also had changes in the SCC alignment as it will play for the first time since 2019 as part of a 5-team, North Division with '23 conference overall champion Rio Hondo, Mt. SAC, ELAC and Los Angeles City. Eight matches will determine the '24 North title winner, which would then receive an automatic bid to the postseason. 

Of the lettermen, the only player with starting experience is setter Kamea Vongfak, who played mostly at defensive specialist as a freshman and participated in more sets than any other PCC player (92). Vongfak totaled 152 digs and 28 aces. The other returners are 5-foot-11, outside hitter Chayse Hoon, who played well in the team's regional Round 1 victory over San Bernardino Valley (four kills), and setter/opposite Shaylee Ungos, who reached double figures in assists in three matches.

The Lancers are excited about the return of All-SCC Second Team libero Emily Licon from the '22 Lancers. She led that 17-8 team in digs with 277 (3.18 average) and served 24 aces. Sophomore transfer Biko Hollie is a bounceback from NCAA Division I Morgan State University and was a top All-Los Angeles City talent from Venice High. 

The freshmen group includes two redshirts from last year's squad in outside hitter Daniela Millot and 5-10 middle blocker Brianna Galvan. 

The incoming recruiting class is made up of outside hitters in Maggie Hunter (South Pasadena High), Elena Uribe (Pasadena HS), opposites Mahrie Bedjakian (Arcadia) and Emma Santa Ana (Crescenta Valley), setter Cindy Phan (San Gabriel), middle blockers Savannah Curtis (6-0, Chino Hills), Jocelyn Sanchez (5-11, Arcadia) and Machijah Harville (West Covina), and liberos Juyeon Lee (from South Korea) and Marina Segura (United Christian Academy).

"We've got solid experience from our returning players. Hoon and Hollie have been standouts thus far on the outside while Curtis and Galvan are solid in the middle. Ungos and Vongfak can set with precision with both Ungos and Bedjakian attacking well on the opposite. We have athletic attackers all around, good setting, and what could be our best serve receiving corps in a while. Licon, Lee, and Hollie are strong at ball control and have sound volleyball IQ. Lee is a great server off the bench."

PCC TRI OPENER RECAP

Hollie put on a clinic in her Lancers' debut as she pounded 16 kills with just one error in 29 attacks, hitting .517 with nine digs and two block assists in the sweep over Cypress. Hollie had seven kills in the first set alone, then added seven more the third game. 

Lee dazzled on serve as she placed three straight aces at one point in the first set with four in the set (and match). After a rough first set, Hoon picked up her play as she landed six kills in the second set on her way to eight and three blocks. 

Licon contributed 11 digs, six set assists and two aces while Curtis' frosh debut was outstanding on six blocks (one solo) with two attack kills. Ungos also was proficient, scoring five kills (no errors, .500), 12 set assists, seven digs, three blocks and an ace. Vongfak dished out 13 assists, served two of the team's nine aces, and made eight digs. Galvan added two kills and three blocks and Bedjakian two kills. 

It was a tougher three sets v. Grossmont, a program that has reached each of the last four 3C2A State Championship tournaments. PCC did jump out to a 12-4 lead en route to a 5-point win in set 1. Then in set #2, the Lancers led 11-6, but the Griffins roared back to take an 18-16 advantage. After three ties, the last at 22-22, Curtis got a big kill and Hollie capped the game with a kill for set point, 25-23.

Grossmont led 5-1 in the third, and then appeared to have the Lancers on the ropes at 20-16. A 5-0 run for PCC was capped by a Galvan-Bedjakian block for a 21-20 lead. Tied at 23-23, Segura came off the bench and twirled back-to-back aces to finish off the sweep.

Ungos had another superb match, scoring nine kills with eight assists, three aces, four digs and two blocks while Hoon powered nine kills (.421). Vongfak totaled 15 assists and two aces, Hollie had eight kills, Curtis delivered six kills in just nine swings plus four blocks (10 on the day), Hollie added eight kills, and Licon was again top-notch with 17 digs. Galvan added five blocks and two kills while Lee had six digs.

"We played with confidence and left it all out on the court," Terrill said. "We clicked on all cylinders against Cypress, and Grossmont pressed us in sets two and three. It was exciting to see our team perform at their best in pressure situations.

"Things don't get any easier with a trip to Ventura and then the Fresno North-South tourney next week where we play more of the best teams in the state. Our athletes are smart, tough, and unified. We invite every challenge that comes our way."

PCC was 1-7 in its last eight matchups with Grossmont, winning for the first time v. the Griffins since 2008--that match also a Lancers sweep.