College of the Canyons Set To Host CCCAA Women's Volleyball State Championship
The double elimination four-team tourney will begin with Foothill vs. L.A. Pierce at 2 p.m. Saturday Dec. 5. Canyons vs. Cabrillo to follow at 4:30 p.m.
Hosting the CCCAA Women's Volleyball State Championship tournament has a way of bringing out the best in those colleges. In fact, the last three host schools, including this year's College of the Canyons, 2014 host Cabrillo, and 2013 host Foothill join L.A. Pierce College at the 2015 tourney to be held Dec. 5-6 in Santa Clarita.
The four teams were all ranked in the top five for much of the regular season with South top seed Pierce occupying the No. 1 spot throughout the year. Pierce had to settle for No. 2 seed in the regionals to No. 1 and co-Western State Conference, North Division champion Santa Barbara City College, but the Vaqueros were knocked out by new No. 2 seed Canyons (fourth seed in regionals) in Round 3 on Tuesday.
Cabrillo, the North's top seed, is the only returning school from the 2014 tournament and is making its third straight trip. The Seahawks made history in 2013 when it became the first North team to win the state title. Last year as the host college, Cabrillo finished state runner-up to Irvine Valley.
The Cinderella team of the four is COC, a team that seemed to motivate itself in part because it was hosting the 39th state tournament for the first time. It's the first WSC school to host since 1991 at Cuesta College.
The Coast and WSC have a rare monopoly on the tourney as the four division winners from the two conferences made it through the regionals. The Orange Empire Conference is without a participant for the first time in four years and just the second time in its history.
If Canyons or North No. 2 seed Foothill were to win the state title, it would mark only the second time in state history that a different state champion was crowned in four consecutive seasons (1982-85 was the only other period). But 2013 champ Cabrillo and three-time champion from 2010-12 Pierce will try their best to prevent that from happening.
Here are capsules on the four participants:
PIERCE (29-1), SOUTH NO. 1 SEED
Final Regular Season State Ranking: Tied No. 1
Mascot: Brahmas
Co-Western State Conference North Division Champions
Head Coach: Nabil Mardini
Top Players: AVCA First Team All-American libero Darrin Rice, All-State opposite Chelsea Lawrence, Zaire Dartis, outside hitter
Road To Canyons: swept #15 Riverside, #7 MiraCosta, #3 El Camino
2015 Sweeps: 21
3-Set Matches: 21-0
4-Set Matches: 6-1
5-Set Matches: 2-0
Current Winning Streak: 13
Only Loss: v. Santa Barbara in 4, October 7
Highest State Finish: State Champions, 2010, 2011, 2012
CABRILLO (26-1), NORTH #1 SEED
Final Regular Season State Ranking: Tied No. 3
Mascot: Seahawks
Coast Conference, North Division Champions
Head Coach: Gabby Houston-Neville
Top Players: All-State outside hitter Marcela Frazzoni, All-Region setter Eden Fukushima, Natalie Picone, outside hitter
Road To Canyons: swept #16 Yuba, beat #9 Sacramento City in 4, swept #4 San Joaquin Delta
2015 Sweeps: 19
3-Set Matches: 19-1
4-Set Matches: 4-0
5-Set Matches: 3-0
Current Winning Streak: 24
Only Loss: v. Foothill in 3 on September 12
Highest State Finish: State Champions, 2013
FOOTHILL (28-1), NORTH #2 SEED
Final Regular Season State Ranking: Tied No. 3
Mascot: Owls
Coast Conference South Division Champions
Head Coach: Katy Ripp
Top Players: AVCA First Team All-American Riana Brennan, outside hitter, Isabella Mauricio, outside hitter, Camila Mauricio, middle blocker
Road To Canyons: swept #15 Diablo Valley, #7 American River, beat #6 Fresno City in 4
2015 Sweeps: 20
3-Set Matches: 20-0
4-Set Matches: 6-0
5-Set Matches: 2-1
Current Winning Streak: 15
Only Loss: v. Cabrillo in 5 on October 3
Highest State Finish: 1998, 3rd Place State Tournament
CANYONS (25-2), SOUTH #2 SEED
Final Regular Season State Ranking: No. 6
Mascot: Cougars
Western State Conference South Division Champions
Head Coach: Lisa Hooper
Top Players: AVCA First Team All-American Emily Bible, outside hitter, All-Region Katie Rutecki, setter, Brooke Garelick, outside hitter
Road Back to Home: swept #13 Ventura, beat #5 Grossmont in 5, beat #1 Santa Barbara City in 4
2015 Sweeps: 16
3-Set Matches: 16-0
4-Set Matches: 7-2
5-Set Matches: 2-0
Current Winning Streak: 15
Its Losses: v. El Camino in 4, Sept. 12, Santa Barbara in 4, Sept. 30
Highest State Finish: 2007, Tied 7th Place State Tournament
Additional information including complete regional results can be found here.
*Release by Robert Lewis, CCCWVCA/CCCAA State WVB SID, rmlewis@pasadena.edu