Delta passes two Big 8 tests to remain #1 on State Women's Volleyball Top 25
The best teams in women's volleyball often withstand everything thrown at them and San Joaquin Delta did just that in winning two key Big 8 Conference matches last week v. #2 American River (four sets) and then surviving a 5-set battle v. #5 Sierra. The Mustangs are the #1 team for the second straight week in the CCCWVCA State Top 25 Rankings.
Delta held serve so to speak while a number of upsets took place in the South Region. There were still no changes in the top 9 that also includes SoCal leader and #3 Long Beach City, #4 San Diego Mesa, #6 Feather River, #7 Fresno City, #8 Grossmont, #9 Moorpark.
LA Mission, like LBCC still undefeated, makes the biggest jump as the Eagles move into the top 10 at #10. Head coach Nabil Mardini turned LA Pierce into a California power when the Brahmas won three straight state championships in 2010-2012 and now he's making waves at another Western State Conference school this season.
Ventura (#20), Riverside City (#23), Mt. San Jacinto (#T25) and MiraCosta (#T25) all joined the top 25 for the first time in 2024.
It's dig leader week in this week's rankings, so the top digs player for each of the ranked teams get a shoutout.
- SAN JOAQUIN DELTA, Big 8, 15-1: Winners of six straight, the Mustangs outlasted American River with a 28-26 fourth-set win and edging the Beavers in points just 96-92, then in defeating Sierra (15-8 final set), the points difference was just 105-104. Caprisa Brock, who passed the 1,000 career assists mark earlier this year, was a State Player of the Week. Kyra Saiers is averaging 4.25 digs a set. NorCal #1; Last Week's State Rank: #1
- AMERICAN RIVER, Big 8, 13-2: The Beavers only two losses thus far are against their Big 8 rival Delta as they had a 5-match win streak snapped. ARC got back on the winning track in sweeping Cosumnes River. Ellie Basquez averages 3.38 digs. NorCal #2; Last Week's State Rank: #2
- LONG BEACH CITY, South Coast South, 11-0: The Vikings were strongly tested in a 4-set victory over Pasadena (two extra-point set wins, 92-90 edge) and then swept Rio Hondo. Kaylani Moncada averages 4.28 digs. SoCal #1; Last Week's State Rank: #3
- SAN DIEGO MESA, Pacific Coast Athletic, 11-1: The Olympians are 4-0 in PCAC play with sweeps over SD Miramar and SD City. Halen Kiefer averages 2.67 digs. SoCal: #2; Last Week's State Rank: #4
- SIERRA, Big 8, Big 8, 14-4: The Wolverines swept Cosumnes River, then had their 4-match win string snapped by Delta, clawing back from a 2-0 deficit before losing in five. Sophia Guerrero averages 3.67 digs. NorCal: #3; Last Week's State Rank: #5
- FEATHER RIVER, Golden Valley, 15-4: The Golden Eagles did not play last week and will have had two weeks off before they face Fresno and ARC on Oct. 5. Mia Rossman averages 4.09 digs. NorCal #4; Last Week's State Rank: #6
- FRESNO CITY, Central Valley, 12-4: The Rams are 4-0 in CVC play and have five straight sweeps overall with wins over Lemoore and Columbia. FCC's conference win streak reaches 180. Phoebe Constable averages 2.98 digs. NorCal #5; Last Week's State Rank: #7
- GROSSMONT, Pacific Coast Athletic, 9-6: The Griffins were upset by MiraCosta in four (only 94-93 edged in points), but their overall body of work keeps them in their #8 slot. Avery Banaag averages 3.8 digs. SoCal #3; Last Week's State Rank: #8
- MOORPARK, Western State North, 10-3: The Raiders had a 5-match win streak ended by Santa Monica in four (outscored the Corsairs, 94-92), then bounced back by beating Bakersfield in four. Prior Borick averages 4.34 digs. SoCal #4; Last Week's State Rank: #9
- LA MISSION, Western State North, 14-0: The Eagles stay undefeated with sweeps over Glendale and Citrus as they have won 23 straight sets. LAMC has lost just five sets (42-5) all year. Iliana Garcia averages 2.84 digs. SoCal #5; Last Week's State Rank: #14
- MT. SAN ANTONIO, South Coast North, 10-5: The Mounties beat El Camino in four, then had a 4-match win streak broken by Cerritos in a surprising 3-set defeat. Candace Ceballos averages 2.92 digs. SoCal: #6; Last Week's State Rank:#11
- SAN MATEO, Coast South, 9-5: The Bulldogs beat Hartnell in four and swept Lassen to win four in a row. CSM steps up a spot. Anivaolelagi Moors-Tafilele averages 2.82 digs. NorCal #6; Last Week's State Rank: #13
- CERRITOS, South Coast South, 8-2: The Falcons swept Rio Hondo, then posted a shocking sweep over Mt. SAC for their fourth consecutive win--all sweeps. Cerritos leaps up five ranks. Priscilla Castillo averages 3.97 digs. SoCal #7; Last Week's State Rank: #18
- SOLANO, Bay Valley, 12-4: The Falcons swept Siskiyous and defeated Butte in four. Solano regains the ladder rung up one. Alissa "AJ" Projillo averages 5.3 digs (#3 in state). NorCal #7; Last Week's State Rank: #15
- SANTA BARBARA CITY, Western State North, 10-2: The Vaqueros beat Canyons in four, then swept Santa Monica. SBCC rises a step up. Valeria Bellodas averages 4.52 digs and was a State Player of the Week. SoCal #8; Last Week's State Rank: #16
- ORANGE COAST, Orange Empire, 10-2: The Pirates beat Irvine Valley in four, then saw their 10-match win streak end in a 5-set upset loss (15-12, 5th) to Riverside City. OCC tumbles six spots. Caroline Vasquez averages 2.45 digs. SoCal #9; Last Week's State Rank: #10
- TAFT, Central Valley, 16-2: The Cougars downed Merced in four, then swept Lemoore to move to 4-0 in CVC play. Sutton Thompson averages 4.23 digs. NorCal #8; Last Week's State Rank: #17
- SANTA MONICA, Western State South, 7-6: The Corsairs upset Moorpark in four, then were swept by Santa Barbara. SMC roars back to gain five ratings spaces. Annah Legaspi averages 5.46 digs (#2 in state). SoCal #10; Last Week's State Rank: #23
- PASADENA CITY, South Coast North, 6-9: The Lancers had a monster 25-12 set #1 win over Long Beach, but lost in four, then swept LA Harbor. PCC moves back up five positions. Emily Licon averages 4.45 digs. SoCal #11; Last Week's State Rank: #24
- VENTURA, Western State North, 6-5: The Pirates scored a 4-set upset over Bakersfield then downed Canyons also in four as they leap on to this week's rankings. Makena Schaumloeffel averages 2.68 digs. SoCal #12; Last Week's State Rank: Unranked
- BAKERSFIELD, Western State South, 6-6: The Renegades lost to Ventura in four, then fell v. Moorpark also in four. Bakersfield loses altitude and slides down nine spots. Kamryn Briggs averages 5.26 digs (#4 in state). SoCal #13; Last Week's State Rank: #12
- SHASTA, Golden Valley, 15-5: The Knights edged Hartnell in five (15-13), then swept De Anza. Shasta moves down three slots. Whitney King averages 4.59 digs (#9 in state). NorCal #9; Last Week's State Rank: #19
- RIVERSIDE CITY, Orange Empire, 9-4: The Tigers have won four straight, including a sweep over Fullerton, then a 5-set thriller upset over Orange Coast as they jump on to the rankings. Tabitha Irish averages 3.48 digs. SoCal #14; Last Week's State Rank: Unranked
- CANYONS, Western State South, 5-7: The Cougars lost in four to both Ventura and Santa Barbara. COC drops three positions. Presley Golphenee averages 3.29 digs. SoCal #15: Last Week's State Rank: #21
T25. MT. SAN JACINTO, Inland Empire Athletic, 7-8: The Eagles beat Desert in four and earlier wins over Pasadena and Riverside have helped them reach the Top 25. Brooklyn Jimenez averages 3.71 digs. Last Week's State Rank: Unranked
T25. MIRACOSTA, Pacfic Coast Athletic, 6-5: The Spartans scored one of the biggest upsets of the year in shocking Grossmont in four, then swept Cuyamaca as they take the elevator to a suite on to the rankings. MC is 4-0 in PCAC play. Ellie Perez averages 4.56 digs (#10 in state). Last Week's State Rank: Unranked
T25. SANTA ROSA, Big 8, 11-6: The Bear Cubs swept Modesto and Folsom Lake. The South's traffic jam of good squads causes Santa Rosa to slide down five spaces. Jaiden Brooner leads the state in digs average at 5.54 per set. NorCal #10; Last Week's State Rank: #20
BEST OF THE REST
Palomar, Pacific Coast Athletic, 8-2: The Comets swept San Diego City and Imperial Valley. With a win over Mt. San Jacinto and a 5-set defeat v. Cerritos earlier in the year,
Palomar is in a positon to get back into the elite 25.
San Bernardino Valley, Inland Empire Athletic, 8-5: The Wolverines swept Desert and Copper Mountain.
Saddleback, Orange Empire, 6-3: The Bobcats edged Golden West in five (17-15), then swept Fullerton.
Cypress, Orange Empire, 6-7: The Chargers are on a 5-match win string, defeating Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon in four each last week.
Coalinga, Central Valley, 12-3: The Falcons lost to Sequoias in four, swept De Anza, then beat Hartnell in four. Zoe Ruskofsky was a State Player of the Week.
NorCal #11; Last Week's State Rank: #22
Sequoias, Central Valley, 11-6: The Giants take down Coalinga in four, then sweep Reedley. NorCal #12; Last Week's State Rank: #T25
Cypress, Orange Empire, 6-7: The Chargers are on a 5-match win string, defeating Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon in four each last week
Ohlone, Coast South, 13-2: The Renegades beat De Anza in four, then swept Lassen and San Francisco to reach nine consecutive wins.
The lofty record for Ohlone has no matchups v. any of the North's top seven teams and includes a defeat v. Coalinga. NorCal #13; Last Week's State Rank: #T25
Hartnell, Coast North, 6-11: The Panthers have lost four in row, falling in four v. San Mateo, dropping a 5-set thriller v. Shasta (tied in points at 110 each),
then in four v. Coalinga. NorCal #14; Last Week's State Rank: #T25
Merced, Central Valley, 10-3: The Blue Devils lost in four to Taft, then beat Porterville in four. NorCal #15
Sacramento City, Big 8, 8-7: The Panthers were swept by Diablo Valley, then beat Modesto in four.
Diablo Valley, Big 8, 5-5: The Vikings snapped a 3-match losing streak by sweeping Sacramento.
Modesto, Big 8, 9-8: The Pirates were swept by Santa Rosa, then lost in four to Sacramento.
Cosumnes River, Big 8, 8-7: The Hawks have lost four straight, swept by Sierra and American River.
Monterey Peninsula, Coast North, 7-2: The Lobos lost to West Valley in four.
Cuesta, Western State North, 7-7: The Cougars are on fire with five straight wins, sweeping Citrus and Antelope Valley.
Allan Hancock, Western State North, 9-1: The Bulldogs swept West LA, then got by Glendale in five.
Victor Valley, Inland Empire Athletic, 7-3: The Rams swept Copper Mountain, then were tripped up by Chaffey in five.
Southwestern, Pacific Coast Athletic, 7-6: The Jaguars swept Cuyamaca and beat San Diego Miramar in four.
Siskiyous, Golden Valley, 10-11: The Eagles swept Mendocine and Napa Valley.
Lassen, Golden Valley, 10-13: The Cougars swept Folsom Lake and San Francisco while being swept by San Mateo and Ohlone.
Rankings/Release by Robert Lewis, CCCWVCA SID