Giants women's volleyball closes with eight-match winning streak

By Nick Giannandrea

COS ATHLETICS

There were tangible benefits to the College of the Sequoias women's volleyball team's recently concluded Covid-19 pandemic delayed and shortened spring season.

Benefits such as momentum gained from the Giants' going 8-2, with wins in their final eight matches, heading into the expected return of complete championship seasons across California community college athletics in the fall.

Like the growth of sophomore returners such as opposite hitter Hazel Martinez (Mission Oak), middle blocker Jayda English (Lemoore), outside hitter Teagan Daugherty (Tulare Union), setter Mykia Campbell (Coalinga) and libero Gia Rozadilla (Central-Fresno).

The emergence of standout outside hitter Allyson Garcia of Dinuba and a promising freshman class that also included middle blocker Kenyon Pinon (Woodlake), setter Skylen Goulart (Mission Oak), outside hitter Abigail Billingsley (Redwood), defensive specialist Claire Toomey (University Prep) and setter Ellie Applegate (Mt. Whitney).

And the contributions of sophomore transfer outside hitter Katy Haworth (Visalia).

There were intangible benefits, too, Sequoias coach Kim Rix said.

"Beyond the physical development, the mental health for the athletes and coaches was amazing," Rix said. "I didn't realize how much I needed it. The girls took all the testing and the wearing of masks in stride. No big deal. We were so grateful to compete that we wanted to take advantage of every second on the court, and the joy that playing brings. Getting to play was such a big gift for us. To have a little normalcy, it was so good for morale."

Sequoias wrapped up its season with a double header sweep at Taft on March 31, winning the first match 3-0 and the second 3-1.

Daugherty had her best match of the season as the Giants rolled 25-22, 25-20, 26-24 in the first match, finishing with 13 kills, a block and a dig.

Garcia, who was the team's kills leader for the season, had nine kills, 24 digs, an ace serve and a block.

Sequoias' attack also featured five kills, a dig and a block from English; three kills, three digs, three blocks and two aces from Martinez; two kills, seven assists and a dig from Billingsley; and one kill and four assisted blocks from Pinon.

Rozadilla led the back row with 19 digs and an ace, while Campbell fed the attack with 11 assists to go along with five digs and three aces.

Garcia pounded 21 kills and added eight digs, an ace and a block as the Giants won the second match 27-25, 25-19, 17-25, 25-16.

Daugherty contributed 10 kills, two digs, a block and an assisted block.

English (eight digs, three blocks, two aces), Goulart (two blocks) and Campbell (17 assists, six digs, two aces) each added one kill to Sequoias' attack.

Rozadilla (22 digs, two assists, two aces), Haworth (14 digs, two aces) and Toomey (seven digs, three aces) all contributed from the back row, while Billingsley made six assists for the Giants.

"Taft is always amazing," Rix said. "Coach (Kanoe) Bandy makes such great adjustments. We knew we had to be able to adjust as well. The girls came out mentally tough. We tried to eliminate as many errors as possible. It was a good match."

The abbreviated season, which only six of the state's 91 women's volleyball-playing programs opted to participate in, won't count against a student's athletic eligibility. So all 12 of the players who suited up for the Giants may return in the fall if they chose to do so.

Martinez, Campbell and Rozadilla are all receiving interest from four-year universities and eligible to move on, but have not found the right fit yet.

"If some of these kids find a home, I'm not going to hold them back," Rix said. "But if they return, I'm going to push to develop them even more so they can move on. I'm really looking forward to having these girls again. It's a good, hard-working group. Hopefully we'll be even stronger next year when we have more practice. We saw a lot of growth and development over the season, especially getting to compete against some great teams. It helped our girls get better."  

The Giants will gather to start preseason conditioning in July, with a full season featuring state playoffs expected to begin in late August.

Rix said she, assistant Lindsey Hall and her players won't take that season for granted.

"This season was one of true appreciation," Rix said. "When we thought we were going to miss a season, I was heartbroken for these girls. I knew I'd coach again, but the girls might not get to play again. I'm so grateful for the opportunity. All the work (Athletics Director) Brent Davis and (President/Superintendent) Brent Calvin and the trainers and the nurses put in so we could stay on the court. It would have been way easier and way more cost efficient not to play. But they chose the athletes first."