Walnut, Calif. – In the first-ever evening beach volleyball match in 3C2A history, the Mt. SAC Women's Beach Volleyball Team defeated Cerritos College 3-2, earning the South Coast Conference Championship Title for the second time in program history. The energy was electric as the stadium was filled with close to 200 fans from both schools to support the athletes and the event. With the win, the Mounties now hold a 14-7 overall record and remain undefeated in conference play at 7-0, while the Falcons drop to 13-7 overall and 2-4 in conference.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Candace Ceballos and Madeline Castillo kicked things off with a dominant 21-13, 21-6 win over Leeya Rubio and Josie Navarro. The remaining matches were all hard-fought battles, with each pair going to three sets, showcasing the intensity of both teams.
Itzel Aguayo and Freda Lei faced a tough challenge against Rosie Cazares-Gonzalez and Monserrat Rodriguez, narrowly losing 17-21, 21-15, 7-15. In the No. 3 spot, Eva Fisher and Emma Carson showed resilience after losing the first set in extra points 23-25, coming back strong with 21-17 and 15-9 wins to secure a victory over Brisa Cortez and Nayeli Salas Ortiz.
Eva Becerra and Mayah Tiscareno had a hard-fought battle in the No. 4 position, winning the first set 21-15 before falling 15-21, 13-15 to Abby Gutierrez and Aiyana Sierra. But the decisive moment came from the No. 5 pair, Kaylin Mendoza and Jeanie Rhodes, who pulled off a gritty 21-17, 19-21, 15-13 win over Herlinda Casanova and Juliette Casillas to clinch the win for the Mounties. With the match tied 2-2, all eyes were on court 5, where Mendoza and Rhodes, battling through injuries, secured a thrilling victory in the third set.
FROM HEAD COACH SAMANTHA NEELY:
"Tonight was a surreal experience. The courts looked beautiful under the stadium lights, and we were overwhelmed by the number of fans that were there to watch this dual. The energy in the facility was awesome and the feeling of gratitude was at an all-time high."
"Anytime you can do something new and different and have the opportunity to grow the sport is a big win! These kinds of experiences are what you live for as a coach and athlete."
"A huge thank you to Cerritos for partnering with us to make this night match happen. They have such a talented squad, which made the experience that much better with close and competitive matches."
"As if the night wasn't memorable enough, we were able to pull off a big win and earn the outright South Coast Conference Championship Title for the second time in program history."
NEXT UP:
The Mounties will close out their regular season at home on Friday, April 11, facing Long Beach at 11:00 AM and LA Harbor Club at 12:00 PM. "We have our sights set to next week, with one more conference match to go and the opportunity to finish undefeated in the SCC," Coach Neely said.
STAY CONNECTED:
Follow Mt. SAC Women's Volleyball on Twitter @MtSAC_BeachVB or Instagram /mtsacbeachvball/
Follow Mt. SAC Athletics on Twitter @MtSAC_athletics Instagram /mtsac_athletics/ or Facebook @Mountie.Athletics
For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.