(Walnut, CA) It was a perfect opening to the 2023 season for the Mt. SAC Volleyball team, as they swept the visiting Citrus College Owls, 3-0, in a non-conference match on Friday (August 25).
The Mounties won 25-13, 25-16, 25-20 before a supportive home crowd in their first match in the new gymnasium complex that opened earlier this year.
Mt. SAC hits the road this weekend with two matches in the Bakersfield Quad (Bakersfield and Santa Barbara).
Outside hitter, bled the way for Mt. SAC with a match-high 14 kills. The freshman also had eight assists.
Leading the team in assists was sophomore setter Capri Salmon with a team-high 15. Freshman setter Eva Becerra added 13 assists, while freshman Freda Lei added eight digs.
"We're coming off of a very successful season (2022)," Mt. SAC fifth-year coach Samantha Neely said. "We talked about creating our own team this year. We do not want to rely on our previous successes. We're eyes forward and trying to create more successes this season."
The Mounties started the match with an early kill by freshman middle blocker Leia Campbell and never looked back. They built up a 20-10 lead on a kill by Brewer, followed by an ace and a kill by freshman outside Jasmyn Stampley.
Sophomore Melissa Polich gave the Mounties a set point with a kill, 24-13, on a Citrus attack error with a ball out of the back of the court for a 1-0 set lead.
In set number two, the Owls jumped out to a 5-2 lead, but Mt. SAC sophomore middle Zyra Green had a kill to trail, 6-4, and after a net error by Citrus the set was tied, 9-9.
That was all the momentum the Mounties needed as they outscored Citrus, 8-5, to lead, 17-14 on a kill by Becerra.
Brewer had back-to-back kills late in the match and a service error by Citrus ended the game for the second set win.
In set number 3, while Brewer was serving, the Mounties jumped out to a 10-4 lead and controlled the set until a late surge with four consecutive points by the Owls to close within four points, 24-20.
A kill by Green and an attack error by Citrus ended the set and match for a 3-0 win.
"I'm very excited," said Green, of the win. "I feel like our team last year, we just have a good bond this year. We all got closer and that really shows in our game.
"Our chemistry is good together and it feels good to be one of the team leaders."