Tigers Take One Set, But Lose, 3-1, to #3-ranked College of the Canyons on Wednesday
RIVERSIDE -- Giving the No. 3-ranked team in the state all it could handle, the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers Women's Volleyball team lost, 3-1, to the visiting College of the Canyons Cougars Wednesday (Sept. 16) in a nonconference match in RCC's legendary Arthur N. Wheelock Gymnasium.
Riverside (4-1) had difficulty getting going in the first set, before losing, 25-18. In the second set, RCC regrouped and forced ties at 14 and 18. Canyons (8-1) led, 21-18, before RCC closed to within, 21-20, but the Cougars scored the next four points on a pair of aces, a blocking error and a kill, to win, 25-20.
In the third set, the Tigers kept improving as they led, 5-0, and never trailed (three tie scores) en route to a 25-22 win, In the fourth set, there were three tie scores and six lead changes. Canyons broke the last tie (at 19) and went on to a 25-20 win.
For RCC, frosh outside hitter Lauren Wells (Corona / Woodcrest Christian HS '15) led RCC with 13 kills and also added seven digs. RCC sophomore setter Melissa Moe (Riverside / Poly HS '14) had a team-high 31. Frosh libero Sabrina Gonzaga (Moreno Valley / Citrus Hill HS '14) added a match-high 21 digs for RCC.
For the Cougars, Emily Bible led with a match-high 16 kills, while Brooke Garelick added 11 kills. Starting setter Katie Rutecki had a match-high 33 kills despite not playing a significant amount of time in the third and fourth sets. Reserve setter Emma Levanen added ten assists. On the back row, Garelick had a team-high 18 digs, and teammate, libero Chelsea Corn added 16 digs.
At 4-1, the Tigers are off to their best start since 2010 when they won their first eight matches and were 11-1 heading into Orange Empire Conference (OEC) action.
Riverside's next match will be on Friday, Sept. 18, when it travels to Palm Desert to face the College of the Desert Roadrunners at 5 p.m.
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