Spikers Sweep Orange Coast for First Time Since 1993; Tigers host Santa Ana in Wednesday's OEC Finale

COSTA MESA -- Doing something for only the third time in its history, and the first time since 1993 (before nearly every member of the team was even born), the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers Women's Volleyball team defeated the host Orange Coast College (OCC) Pirates, 3-0, in an Orange Empire Conference (OEC) match Friday night (Nov. 13) to sweep the season series.

RCC won by the set scores of 25-16, 25-23, 25-19, at Basil Peterson Gymnasium on the OCC campus.

Riverside (14-7 overall, 7-6 OEC), currently ranked No. 20 in the latest (Nov. 9) California Community College Women's Volleyball Coaches Association (CCCWVCA) poll, previously swept the Pirates in 1993 OEC play, as well as in 1989 and 1988. Nevertheless, OCC still leads the all-time series, 42-17.

RCC frosh outside hitter Marissa Vialpando (Moreno Valley / Riverside Notre Dame HS '15) led the Tigers with 14 kills. Frosh outside hitter Lauren Wells (Riverside / Woodcrest Christian HS '15) was next with nine kills.

RCC sophomore setter Melissa Moe (Riverside / Poly HS '14) had a team-high 31 assists and added 12 digs and five block assists. Vialpando had a match-high 11 digs. Frosh libero Sabrina Gonzaga (Moreno VAlley / Citrus Hill HS '14) had a team-high 13 digs. Sophomore MB Gabrielle Dahle (Riverside / Martin Luther King, Jr. HS '14) had a whopping eight block assists for RCC.

Both teams will conclude OEC action on Wednesday, Nov. 18. Riverside will host the Santa Ana College Dons and OCC will visit the Irvine Valley College Lasers in a pair of 6 p.m. matches.

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Editor's note: Through 21 matches (73 sets), Wells continues to lead Riverside in kills (222, 69 sets, 3.22 avg.) by a wide margin. Nyomi Ward has moved into second place in Kills (133, 67 sets, 1.99 avg.) Vialpando is third in kills (129) and Reed is fourth in kills (119). Moe leads the Tigers in assists (674, 73 sets, 9.23 avg.), is first in service aces (41, 0.56 avg.) and is second in digs (190, 2.60 avg.). Gonzaga leads in digs (268, 70 sets, 3.83 avg.) and is second in service aces (31, 0.44 avg.). Ward leads the Tigers in total blocks (61, 19 solo, 0.91 avg.).

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