Beach Volleyball Hauls in Two Conference Victories
The Riverside City College beach volleyball team entered into conference action on Friday by hosting the Fullerton College Hornets, the Saddleback College Gauchos, and the Irvine Valley College Lasers. The Tigers earned a pair of victories beginning with a sweep over Fullerton. They went on to edge the Gauchos, 3-2, but fell victim to the Lasers, 5-0.
In a victory over Fullerton, four of the five wins for Riverside were two-set crowns. Sophomore Marcella Rodriguez (Belize City, Belize) and freshman Julia Balancier (Moreno Valley, CA) earned a victory with set scores reading 21-17, 21-18. Sophomore Brittney Diffine (Riverside, CA) and freshman Natalie Escher (Redlands, CA) held down the number two team and earned a 21-9, 21-12 victory.
Freshman Lauren Dunmore (Northridge, CA) and sophomore Delany Beck (Riverside, CA) earned a win at the fourth slot with scores reading 21-16, 21-18, while freshman Taylor Gardner (Colton, CA) and freshman Telanni Childs (Upland, CA) worked towards a 21-13, 21-17 win.
The victory over Saddleback was a close contest, but strength at the top boded well for Riverside. Diffine and Escher teamed up at the number one and won by the final count of 21-19, 21-9. Rodriguez and Balancier stayed in tune with a three set victory at the second position reading 15-21, 21-6, 15-9. Gardner and Childs later sealed the deal with a 21-11, 21-18 win at the fifth position.
The Tigers (7-7, 2-1 OEC) will continue action on Friday, April 20th against the same trio of teams in Irvine Valley. The first contest is set to begin at 9 a.m.