Walnut, Calif. – While much of the country was battling freezing temperatures, Southern California delivered sunshine and clear skies—the perfect backdrop for the Mt. San Antonio College beach volleyball team's season opener. The Mounties took full advantage, opening the year with a pair of wins over Cuesta (3–2) and Bakersfield (4–1) on Friday, January 23.
The matchup against Cuesta came down to the wire, with three courts going to decisive third sets. Mt. SAC secured the victory with wins in the No. 2, No. 4, and No. 5 pairs.
In the No. 2 spot, Kayla Stavely and Morgan Wilson bounced back after dropping the first set to defeat Cashlin Cuadros and Kately Hesch 19–21, 21–19, 15–13. Jasmyn Stampley and Bella Fairley handled business in the No. 4 pair, taking down Kamryn Holland and Ella McDermott in straight sets, 21–19, 21–7.
The match-clinching point came in dramatic fashion at the No. 5 spot, where Bella Ross and Veronica Estrada dropped the opening set 20–22 but responded in dominant fashion, winning the final two sets 21–9 and 15–10 over Avery Hornsby and Rainey Snedden.
In the No. 1 pair, Emma Carson and Yaretzi Silva fell to Cayley Brown and Brynn Bennett 14–21, 18–21. The No. 3 match was another thriller, as Sydney Valentine and Eva Fisher battled through three tight sets, dropping the opener 18–21, winning the second 23–21, and narrowly falling 14–16 in the third.
The second match of the day against Bakersfield was more straightforward, as the Mounties claimed four of the five courts, all in straight sets. With it being the first day of competition, Mt. SAC experimented with new pairings to find the right combinations moving forward.
The No. 1 pair had a tough outing, with Carson and Stavely falling to Maya Barron and Chloe Lopez 18–21, 11–21. From there, however, the Mounties took control of the remaining courts.
In the No. 2 spot, a new pairing of Silva and Fisher earned a 21–16, 21–15 win over Keira Wolf and Amanda Zepeda. Another new duo, Valentine and Wilson, secured a victory in the No. 3 spot, defeating Mariah Sierra and Anahi King 21–18, 21–19.
Staying strong in the No. 4 spot, Stampley and Fairley continued their success with a 21–13, 21–9 win over Lainey Sterling and Amber Dela Cruz. Rounding out the day, a new pairing in the No. 5 spot—Kacey Worcester and Estrada—worked well together to defeat Ruby Hawkins and Anabel Naranjo 21–16, 21–13.
NEXT UP:
The Mounties face a tough test next weekend, hosting state runner-up Fresno and Santa Monica College on Saturday, January 31, beginning at 10:00 AM. Keep up the great work, ladies!
STAY CONNECTED:
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.