Tigers Get Balance on Both Sides, Defeat Fullerton, 3-1, Friday

RIVERSIDE -- Continuing its current trend of claiming victories against ranked opponents, the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers Women's Volleyball team defeated the No. 18-ranked Fullerton College (FC) Hornets in four sets, 3-1, in an Orange Empire Conference (OEC) match Friday night (Oct. 30), by the set scores of 25-22, 24-26, 25-20, 25-21, at legendary Arthur N. Wheelock Gymnasium.

The Tigers had five players with at least ten digs and four with at least seven kills.

The win snapped a six-match RCC losing streak to FC. Prior to Friday night, Riverside last defeated the Hornets, 3-2, in an OEC match at RCC on Oct. 10, 2012. Nevertheless, FC holds a modest lead in the all-time series, 29-25.

Riverside (12-5 overall, 5-4 OEC), currently ranked No. 24 in the latest (Oct. 26) California Community College Women's Volleyball Coaches Association (CCCWVCA) poll, was solid throughout.

In the first set, the Tigers broke a 16-16 tie and led, 21-18. RCC led, 24-21, thanks to a kill by frosh middle blocker Lauren Reed (Redlands / Redlands HS / Cal Baptist '15). Frosh outside hitter Lauren Wells (Riverside / Woodcrest Christian HS '15) recorded a kill on a Hornet block error to clinch the set, 25-22.

In the second set, Fullerton trailed, 1-0, then sprinted to a 6-1 lead. RCC forged a tie at 19, but the Hornets took the set, 26-24, with sophomore rightside hitter Alex Winfield (Lakewood / Lakewood HS) getting the final two kills.

The third set went back and forth until RCC broke a 16-16 tie, thanks to three FC attack errors for a 19-16 lead. Another Hornet attack error ended the set as RCC won, 25-20.

The fourth set saw the Tigers break a 9-9 tie and post leads of 15-12 and 18-13. Fullerton closed to within 22-21 before RCC won the set (25-21) and the match on a service ace that landed just inside the back line.

As mentioned, RCC had a balanced attack as Reed, Wells and frosh outside hitter Marissa Vialpando (Moreno Valley / Riverside Notre Dame HS '15) each posted a co-team-high eight kills. Vialpando added 15 digs. Sophomore OH Amanda Barker (Lake Arrowhead / Rim of the World HS '14) added seven kills and a team-high 17 digs.

RCC sophomore setter Melissa Moe (Riverside / Poly HS '14) -- who is pictured -- had a match-high 32 assists and added ten digs. Frosh libero Sabrina Gonzaga (Perris / Citrus Hill HS '14) had 14 digs.

For Fullerton (11-6 overall, 6-3 in OEC), sophomore OH Grace Lopez (Yorba Linda / Yorba Linda HS) was a force with a match-high 16 kills and also added 15 digs.Sophomore setter Carly Bergen (Yorba Linda / Esperanza HS) had a team-high 25 assists. Winfield had a "triple-double" with ten kills, 15 assists and 12 digs. Sophomore OH Azucena Duarte (Anaheim / Loara HS) had a match-high 22 digs.

Both teams will continue OEC action on Wednesday, Nov. 4. Fullerton will host the Orange Coast College Pirates, while Riverside will visit the Irvine Valley College Lasers in a pair of 6 p.m. matches.

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Editor's note: Through 17 matches (60 sets), Wells continues to lead Riverside in kills (177) by a wide margin. Reed is next in kills (116, 41 sets). Moe leads the Tigers in assists (544, 60 sets), is first in service aces (32) and is second in digs (155). Gonzaga leads in digs (214, 57 sets) and is second in service aces (30). Ward leads the Tigers in total blocks (47, 16 solo, 54 sets).

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