RCC Volleyballers Gain A Victory at S.D. Mesa Tournament

SAN DIEGO -- Sandwiching a victory in between a pair of losses at the annual San Diego Mesa Tournament, the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's volleyball squad will have one nonconference match remaining this week before commencing Orange Empire Conference (OEC) action in October.

Riverside (2-6 overall) opened tournament action last Friday (Sept. 19, 4 p.m.) with a 3-1 loss to the Citrus College Owls by the set scores of 23-25, 26-24, 18-25, 21-25. Last Saturday (Sept. 20, 10 a.m.), RCC defeated the Cerro Coso College Coyotes, 3-1, by the set scores of 22-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-14. It was the Tigers' second victory of the season, both against Cerro Coso. The Tigers concluded tournament play with a 3-1 loss to the MiraCosta College Spartans last Saturday (Sept. 20, 3 p.m.) by the set scores of 22-25, 25-19, 22-25, 18-25.

In RCC's loss to Citrus, sophomore outside hitter Naomi Tilford (Vista / Vista '11 / San Diego Mesa CC) hammered home 21 kills to lead the Tigers, while sophomore setter Sarah Kelly (Riverside / John W. North '13) had 16 assists and frosh setter Melissa Moe (Riverside / Poly '14) had 14 assists for the Tigers. Sophomore defensive specialist Hannah Lockhart (Moreno Valley / Calvary Chapel '12) had a team-high 22 digs.

In the Tigers' win over Cerro Coso, sophomore outside hitter Euricce LeSure (Redlands / Redlands '13) and middle blocker Sheyenne Reyes (Riverside / John W. North '09 / Mt. San Jacinto CC) co-led RCC with seven kills each. Moe and Kelly each had 15 assists, and Kelly and LeSure each had nine digs.

In the loss to MiraCosta, Tilford had a team-high 15 kills, Kelly had 17 assists, and Lockhart had 14 digs.

RCC will visit the Cerritos College Falcons on Wednesday, Sept. 24, in its final preconference match of the season beginning at 5 p.m.

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