Sierra, American River closing in on #1 Delta in State Women's Volleyball Top 25

Sierra College is at #3 in this week's State Top 25.
Sierra College is at #3 in this week's State Top 25.
October 28, 2024

 

In perhaps no other sport does the absence of one player affect a team's lineup as dramatically as in women's volleyball. The loss of a dynamic hitter, a great setter, a key middle blocker, or even a reliable libero can spell the difference between winning and losing for many teams. 

The CCCWVCA State Top 25 top-ranked Mustangs of San Joaquin Delta College are feeling that right now with injuries to both top outside hitter Emily Vickers, a State Player of the Week earlier this season, and middle blocker Mia Alomia. Without the two starters on Friday, Delta had its 12-match win streak stopped by American River in four sets. Delta had twice defeated ARC in four sets each in their first two matchups.

The Beavers moved up in the top 10 to #4 which means the four top spots are all occupied by North squads in Delta, #2 Fresno City, and #3 Sierra.

The conference races are heating up as Fresno tops the Central Valley at 11-0, Sierra leads the Big 8 at 10-1 (Delta is 9-1), #8 Feather River is ahead in the Golden Valley at 6-0, #19 Solano is in first in the Bay Valley at 6-0 while the Coast Conference is tight with #18 San Mateo, Ohlone and West Valley all at 5-1 in the South Division, and Monterey Peninsula and Hartnell knotted also at 5-1 for first in the North Division.

In SoCal, #6 San Diego Mesa is on its way to winning the Pacific Coast Athletic title at a perfect 11-0, #9 Moorpark is out in front at 6-1 in the extremely tough Western State North, #20 Bakersfield and #22 Canyons are tied for the WSC South lead at 6-1 (#16 Santa Monica is 5-1), #11 Cerritos leads the South Coast South at 4-0, #14 Mt. San Antonio is ahead in the SCC North at 3-0, #13 Orange Coast holds a 9-1 edge to top the Orange Empire, and #T25 San Bernardino Valley now is in first in the Inland Empire Athletic at 8-1. 

All conference champions receive automatic seeds for the regional playoffs next month. 

  1. SAN JOAQUIN DELTA, Big 8, 21-2: The Mustangs played well in the opening two sets in their 4-set loss to ARC, losing the opening set 28-26, then winning the second at 26-24. ARC wore down Delta to win the third and fourth sets, 25-19, and 25-10. Delta plays Sierra this Wednesday, a team that SJD defeated in five with its full lineup back on Sept. 27. NorCal #1; Last Week's State Rank: #1
  2. FRESNO CITY, Central Valley, 21-4: The Rams' CVC win streak continues at 187, the current overall win streak now at 14, with sweeps over Merced and Lemoore. NorCal #2; Last Week's State Rank: #2
  3. SIERRA, Big 8, Big 8, 21-4: After sweeping Santa Rosa and Cosumnes River, the Wolverines are poised to try to extend their 7-match win streak in facing Delta this week. Taylor Stolz was a State Player of the Week. NorCal: #3; Last Week's State Rank: #3
  4. AMERICAN RIVER, Big 8, 20-4: The Beavers swept Folsom Lake, then recorded their upset over Delta for their fifth win in a row. ARC climbs two slots. NorCal #4; Last Week's State Rank: #6
  5. LONG BEACH CITY, South Coast South, 16-1: The Vikings swept Los Angeles City in their lone match last week and remain SoCal's top squad. LBCC drops one spot. SoCal #1; Last Week's State Rank: #4
  6. SAN DIEGO MESA, Pacific Coast Athletic, 18-1: The Olympians win streak is at nine with a sweep over SD Miramar. Mesa slips one space. SoCal: #2; Last Week's State Rank: #5
  7. GROSSMONT, Pacific Coast Athletic, 16-7: The Griffins swept Southwestern, then got some revenge v. MiraCosta by winning in five sets (15-12 fifth) after MC beat them earlier in PCAC play in four. SoCal #3; Last Week's State Rank: #7
  8. FEATHER RIVER, Golden Valley, 21-7: The Golden Eagles upped their GVC win streak to 69 with by sweeping Siskiyous and getting past Lassen in four. NorCal #5; Last Week's State Rank: #8
  9. MOORPARK, Western State North, 16-4: The Raiders swept LA Pierce. Moorpark picks up another slot. SoCal #4; Last Week's State Rank: #10
  10. LA MISSION, Western State North, 21-2: The Eagles scored a huge victory in the WSC North race by edging Santa Barbara in five (15-11 fifth) after sweeping Cuesta. LAM, SBCC and Ventura all are tied for second at 5-2. Taylor Boone was a State Player of the Week. Mission bolts back into the top 10, moving up a space. SoCal #5; Last Week's State Rank: #11
  11. CERRITOS, South Coast South, 14-2: The Falcons extended their win streak to 10 by sweeping LA City and East LA. Cerritos picks up another position. SoCal #6; Last Week's State Rank: #12
  12. SANTA BARBARA CITY, Western State North, 15-4: The Vaqueros defeated Allan Hancock in four, then had a 5-match win string clipped by LA Mission. Both of SBCC's losses in division play have come at the hands of Mission. Tana Long was a State Player of the Week. SBCC slides back three ranks. SoCal #7; Last Week's State Rank: #9
  13. ORANGE COAST, Orange Empire, 17-2: The Pirates have won 22 consecutive sets with sweeps over Santiago Canyon and Irvine Valley. SoCal #8; Last Week's State Rank: #13
  14. MT. SAN ANTONIO, South Coast North, 15-6: The Mounties swept LA Harbor and Compton. SoCal: #9; Last Week's State Rank: #14
  15. TAFT, Central Valley, 22-3: The Cougars have won five in a row with sweeps of Reedley and Merced. NorCal #6; Last Week's State Rank: #15
  16. SANTA MONICA, Western State South, 12-7: The Corsairs swept West LA and Glendale. SoCal #10; Last Week's State Rank: #16
  17. VENTURA, Western State North, 11-7: The Pirates swept Pierce and Cuesta. SoCal #11; Last Week's State Rank: #17
  18. SAN MATEO, Coast South, 15-6: The Bulldogs defeated West Valley in four, then swept Gavilan for their fourth consecutive victory. NorCal #7; Last Week's State Rank: #18
  19. SOLANO, Bay Valley, 20-4: The Falcons BVC streak stretches to 65 matches with a sweep over Mendocino. Solano has won 20 straight sets and eight matches in a row. NorCal #8; Last Week's State Rank: #19
  20. BAKERSFIELD, Western State South, 12-7: The Renegades swept West LA for their fifth straight win. SoCal #12; Last Week's State Rank: #20
  21. PASADENA CITY, South Coast North, 12-11: The Lancers went the distance v. El Camino, winning the fifth 15-6. PCC is 6-2 in its last eight matches. SoCal #13; Last Week's State Rank: #21
  22. CANYONS, Western State South, 11-8: The Cougars swept Antelope Valley and Citrus for four in a row. SoCal #14: Last Week's State Rank: #22
  23. SHASTA, Golden Valley, 21-6: The Knights swept Redwoods and Butte. NorCal #9; Last Week's State Rank: #23
  24. PALOMAR, Pacific Coast, 14-4: The Comets are on a 6-match win streak including winning a rematch v. MiraCosta in four (lost first matchup in four), then sweeping SD City. SoCal #15; Last Week's State Rank: #24
    T25. MIRACOSTA, Pacific Coast Athletic, 10-8:     The Spartans lost in four to Palomar, then five to Grossmont after winning v. both teams in the first round of PCAC play. Last Week's State Rank: #T25
     T25. SAN BERNARDINO VALLEY, Inland Empire Athletic, 14-7: The Wolverines swept Copper Mountain, then swept Mt. San Jacinto in a rematch that has major IEAC implications (MSJC won the first encounter in four). Last Week's State Rank: Not Ranked.

    BEST OF THE REST
     Mt. San Jacinto, Inland Empire Athletic, 13-9: The Eagles needed five to beat Desert (15-9 fifth), then had a 7-match win streak end in a 3-set defeat v. SBVC. 
    Last Week's State Rank: #T25
    Saddleback, Orange Empire, 13-4: The Bobcats defeated Golden West in five and trail in the OEC by a half-game behind Orange Coast at 8-1.
    Ohlone, Coast South, 19-4: The Renegades beat San Jose City in four, then swept Skyline. NorCal #10    
    Riverside City, Orange Empire, 14-6: The Tigers lost in five to Irvine Valley, then swept Fullerton. 
    Merced, Central Valley, 15-5: The Blue Devils 6-match win streak ended with consecutive 3-set losses to Fresno and Taft. NorCal #11
    Coalinga, Central Valley, 17-6: The Falcons beat Porterville in four, then swept Sequoias. NorCal #12
     Hartnell, Coast North, 12-12: The Panthers score a huge 5-set win over Monterey Peninsula (15-13 fifth), then beat Las Positas in four. NorCal #13
    Cosumnes River, Big 8, 13-9: The Hawks swept Modesto, then were swept by Sierra. NorCal #14
    Sacramento City, Big 8, 13-13: The Panthers defeated Diablo Valley in four. NorCal #T15
    West Valley, Coast South, 10-12: The Vikings had a 4-match win string snapped by San Mateo in four, then swept San Jose. NorCal #T15
     Monterey Peninsula, Coast North, 12-4: The Lobos lost in five to Hartnell, then swept San Francisco. 
     Cuesta, Western State North, 11-12: The Cougars were swept by LA Mission and Ventura.
    Modesto, Big 8, 12-12: The Pirates were swept by Cosumnes River, then swept Santa Rosa. 
     Santa Rosa, Big 8, 12-12: The Bear Cubs were swept by Sierra, then swept again by Modesto for four straight defeats.
    Las Positas, Coast North, 10-6: The Hawks beat Cabrillo in four, then lost to Hartnell in four.
    Allan Hancock, Western State North, 10-6: The Bulldogs lost to Santa Barbara in four, and have lost four in a row.
    Cypress, Orange Empire, 10-10: The Chargers swept Fullerton, then beat Santa Ana in four.    
    Desert, Inland Empire Athletic, 10-10: The Roadrunners pushed Mt. San Jacinto to five in a loss, then swept Cerro Coso. 
    Southwestern, Pacific Coast Athletic, 10-10: The Panthers were swept by Grossmont, then swept Cuyamaca.
    Los Medanos, Bay Valley, 11-13: The Mustangs swept Yuba.

    Rankings/Release by Robert Lewis, CCCWVCA SID