Just a point away and a 3-point cushion from sending the South Coast Conference North Division battle for the crown to a fifth set, the host state #15-ranked Pasadena City College women's volleyball never reached that elusive winning point as #9 Mt. San Antonio clinched the championship, 25-17, 25-20, 21-25, 29-27, on Wednesday evening.
The Lancers (17-6, 5-2) fought back to win set #3 as Juyeon Lee served back-to-back aces for a 22-21 lead. Payton Scott delivered two kills and combined with Delaney Blied for a set-point block.
In the fourth, PCC led 11-6, then the lead switched hands four times and nine ties occurred as the Lancers went up 24-21. Mt. SAC (19-5, 7-0) proceeded to wipe out the momentum and the energy brought in the stands by the presence of many cheering PCC football players.
Emma Carson scored a kill and ace as the Mounties withstood three set points to tie it at 24. A Blied kill gave the Lancers another set point scenario at 25-24, but Mt. SAC would grab a 27-26 lead itself. Izzy Taylor landed a kill to knot it again at 27, but that was PCC's last hurrah. Sydney Valentine scored her 25th kill and Carson scored the match winner with her 14th killl.
Scott led Pasadena with 18 kills while Blied added seven kills (hit .385), served two aces and made four blocks. Bobbie Torres contributed eight kills and 14 digs, Taylor scored six kills, Lee defended 17 digs, Julianna Wilson set 16 assists and had 14 digs while JanetMarie Reyes dished out 19 assists and made eight digs. Jayleen Almaraz chipped in seven digs and Savannah Curtis had four kills and two blocks.
The Lancers settle for second place in the division and look ahead to the postseason. PCC is #11 in SoCal Region RPI which sets the team up to play on the road in Round 1 on Tuesday, Nov. 25.
On Oct. 29, Millage pounded eight kills with four aces, Taylor and Torres each had seven kills, Blied totaled six kills, Sophia Jones five kills and Mahrie Bedjakian collected four kills in PCC's sweep at Los Angeles City, 25-8, 25-12, 25-10. On Halloween, the Lancers swept host Rio Hondo, 25-19, 25-22, 25-16, behind 15 kills by Torres (hit .406). Sabiya Esqivel added five kills, Taylor floored three aces and four blocks, and Lee amassed 20 digs.
PCC plays on Sophomore Night on Friday, Nov. 7 in a 6 p.m. first serve v. East Los Angeles.
Curtis with an attack
Blied in action