Major Change in SCC Volleyball Routine

The last three seasons, the Southern California College women’s volleyball team has lost to the same team in its final match of the regular season and narrowly missed qualifying for the NAIA District 3 playoffs.

Part of the scenario happened again Saturday--the Vanguards lost the regular-season finale to Concordia, 15-8, 16-14, 17-15--but this time SCC’s playoff spot was secure.

The Vanguards (13-13), who finished in a fourth-place tie with Fresno Pacific in the Golden State Athletic Conference, will travel to Riverside for a first-round match Saturday against Cal Baptist (15-7), which finished second in the conference and is ranked No. 14 in the NAIA.

The last time the Vanguards played Cal Baptist, they were bottoming out during a dismal first half of the conference season. Cal Baptist won, 15-3, 15-11, 15-3, in early October, dropping the Vanguards to 0-5 in the conference.

Coach Eric Boyles said it was an especially poor effort. The team lost a five-game match to Point Loma Nazarene the night before and several players had stayed out late afterward.

“There was a lack of understanding of how much preparation is necessary to play at this level,” Boyles said. “This is the toughest NAIA conference in the country, so you have to be prepared every match.”

Boyles called a team meeting. A prematch midnight curfew was put into place and Boyles said the players started coming around.

SCC won five of its next six matches, including upsets of Cal Baptist and Point Loma Nazarene.

“They really came together as a team,” Boyles said. “That’s really the only reason we have been beating teams that are more physically talented than we are.”

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It’s a young team, led by two juniors, Genevie Wright from Diamond Bar, and Celeste Young, a transfer from Hawaii Pacific. Wright, who averaged 14 kills a match, was near the conference lead in kill percentage, aces and solo blocks.

The starting lineup includes three sophomores--Angela Tonavanik from Costa Mesa, Janine Katter from Hemet and Michelle Cabinte from Hawaii--and a freshman setter, Karajean Stephenson from Mission Viejo High.

“We’re just an up-and-coming team and we want to let people know that what we have done isn’t a one-time thing,” Wright said. “We’re really going to build on this.”

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When Concordia beat the Vanguards Saturday, it was the Eagles’ first conference victory of the season. Lori Funk had 12 kills for Concordia, which finished the season 11-19, 1-11.

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Chapman concluded its women’s volleyball season Friday by losing to UC San Diego, which is ranked No. 2 in NCAA Division III, 15-4, 15-6, 6-15, 15-7. Freshman Shawna Parkinson had 17 kills for the Panthers, who finished 4-20.

Notes

The Southern California College men’s basketball team is playing host to its annual Blue-Gold alumni game at 7 p.m. Saturday. Admission will be $2 for adults, $1 for SCC students and proceeds will be donated to a relief fund for victims of the Laguna Beach fire. . . . The SCC men’s soccer team lost, 2-1, to Point Loma Nazarene in the first round of the District 3 playoffs in the most heartbreaking way--on a penalty kick four minutes into penalty time. Brian Hiatt was pulled down from behind near the goal. His penalty kick hit the crossbar and bounced in. . . . Pacific Christian opened its men’s basketball season Tuesday with a 156-92 victory over LIFE Bible. Dave Hesterly had 24 points, Mike McKinney had 23 points and 12 rebounds and Troy Rodarmel had 21 points and 12 rebounds. All three are freshmen. The Royals play at Biola Friday.