Numbers Game For #15 Women's Volleyball

The Pasadena City College women's volleyball team was riding high and among the state's top 10 earlier this season, but after a tough, 4-match loss on the road v. red-hot Long Beach CIty College on Oct. 22, the now #15 Lancers are facing an up-hill battle down the home stretch of the 2025 season.

PCC has a 15-5 overall record, but have had some breakdowns v. some of the state's elite, including a disappointing 5-set loss to #12 Mt. San Antonio in South Coast Conference North Division play, and three defeats v. Western State North Division powers in #6 Santa Barbara City, #8 Moorpark and #10 LA Mission. The team's best win took place v. #7 Santa Monica all the way back on Sept. 5.

Still Coach Mike Terrill's Lancers have taken care of business v. most of their opponents, including a stretch where they put together a 7-match win streak (all sweeps) and a 9-1 mark between Sept. 12 through Oct. 17.

Against #11 Long Beach, PCC pulled a rabbit out of its hat, trailing 24-20 in the first set, then getting an inspired three kills from outside hitter Bobbie Torres and a clutch misdirection, over-the-back set from Julianna Wilson to right side hitter Izzy Taylor, who landed the kill for a 27-25 comeback win. Instead of building on the set, Long Beach took complete control after PCC took a 7-3 lead in the second set as the Vikings rolled to a 25-27, 25-10, 25-17, 25-16 victory.

"This happened as well v. Mt. San Antonio where we looked like we're going to pull away from an opponent and instead it went sideways in a hurry," Terrill said. "We had all that momentum at Long Beach with a really tremendous finish in that first set and we started out well in the second, then we stopped playing at the level we expect from a PCC team. They talk about playing a hard 40 minutes in a basketball game, or completing all nine innings in baseball, we need to excecute in those fourth and fifth sets. We need that high compete level in every set, start to finish."

The Lancers, who made a season-worst 34 attack errors v. Long Beach, find themselves looking at playing on the road in the postseason. PCC is currently #10 in the RPI ratings in the South Region, but only a rematch v. Mt. SAC, likely to decide the conference championship on Nov. 5 is left to improve that RPI.

If PCC  (3-1 in SCC North play) wins v. Mt. SAC as well as receive the tie-breaker for higher seed, it could get a rematch v. SCC South leader Long Beach in a newly-added for the '25 season SCC season-ending crossover based on place v. place within the two, 5-team divisions. 

Torres scored 12 kills and made 11 digs with three aces v. Long Beach. 

In a sweep at Compton, 25-3, 25-11, 25-17 on Oct. 17, PCC increased the number of players to appear in matches this season to a school-record 23 student-athletes with the addition to the lineup of middle blocker Samantha Munoz Gomez (three kills, one solo block) and defensive specialist Sophia Aroyan (three digs).

Also v. Compton, Brianna Galvan pounded 10 kills in just 11 attempts (.909 efficiency), Sabiya Esquivel scored 10 kills and seven digs, Machijah Harville hit five kills, Sophia Jones had four kills, Maggie Hunter downed three kills, and Taylor added three kills and a solo block. Jayleen Almaraz served four aces, and setter Arpa Khechadoorian totaled 17 assists and two aces. 

On Wednesday, Oct. 29, PCC continues a 6-match road trip in playing at Los Angeles City College. The SCC North match has a 6 p.m. start time.

Fans can view matches on the Lancers YouTube channel.

Leah Millage drives an attempt v. Long Beach