Riverside Athletics Week in Review – 9/11/17: Cross Country Dominates Palomar Invite, Women’s Water Polo Starts 2-0
It was another successful showing for the Riverside City College athletic teams this past week. Both water polo programs began their seasons on a high note, while cross country made a huge statement at the Palomar Invite. The football team remained undefeated and the volleyball team flashed signs of light in a busy week of action.
It was a nail biter on Saturday night as all 34 points were scored in the third quarter with the Tigers prevailing over the Golden West College Rustlers, 20-14. Sophomore quarterback Vic Viramontes (Norco, CA) led what ended up being the game-winning drive by capping of a three play, 67-yard drive with a 55-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Sophomore defensive back Terrill Gillete (Philadelphia, PA) sealed the win in the fourth quarter by rising up for an interception in the end zone on Golden West's final drive. Viramontes finished with 123 yard on the ground leading to a touchdown. Freshman defensive back Evan Gutierrez (Fontana, CA) finished with a game-high eight tackles.
The Tigers took home the gold by placing atop the field at the Palomar Invitational on Friday evening. They finished with a team mark of 1:44:52 which was approximately four second better than the second-place finisher. Sophomore Sarah Hollis (Hemet HS) placed first overall with a mark of 18:23.3 that included an average mile time of 5:55.1. Sophomore Samantha Chapa (Martin Luther King HS) placed third overall with a mark of 20:26.9.
Sophomore Ricardo Cardenas (John W. North HS) and freshman Enrique Villa (Colton HS) finished back-to-back at the Palomar Invitational on Friday evening. Their top finishes led Riverside to a first-place showing with a team mark of 1:46:14. Cardenas won his first-career meet with a mark of 21:00.9 that included an average mile mark of 5:15.3. Villas followed with a 21:03.2 finishing time.
The Tigers got off to a great start in the 2017 campaign by hauling in two victories over the weekend. Freshman goalkeeper Hannah McCarley (Riverside, CA) notched 26 saves, three assists, and four steals en route to a pair of victories between the posts. Freshman attacker Katy Peterson (Menifee, CA) netted six goals in the two-game span highlighted by a four-goal outburst in an 8-2 victory over San Joaquin Delta.
Riverside went 3-1 on the weekend highlighted by a 16-9 victory over Modesto in the West Valley College Tournament on Saturday. In the victory, seven Tigers found the back of the net with freshman driver Bo Loftin (Mira Loma, CA) leading the attack with five goals. He added one assist as well. Sophomore goalkeeper Kristopher McVeigh (Riverside, CA) played all 16 quarters in the goal and hauled in three wins.
The Tigers experience some growing pains this past week by going 1-2. The week was highlighted by a 3-1 victory over Imperial Valley where the return of freshman outside hitter Kiara Oregon (Riverside, CA) was the deciding difference. She hammered home a season-high and game-high 16 kills while notching 10 digs in the process. Freshman outside hitter Marcella Rodriguez (Belize City, Belize) was not far behind by firing off 15 kills en route to a .318 hitting percentage. Freshman libero Natalie Escher (Redlands, CA) was money on the backline by recording 25 digs.