The Vaqueros women’s volleyball team swept the Allan Hancock Bulldogs on sophomore night in the final match of the regular season.
The Vaqueros, led by sixth-year head coach Kat Niksto, beat the Allan Hancock College Bulldogs 3-0 at City College’s Sports Pavilion. Sophomores were recognized in a pregame ceremony and cheered on by many as the Vaqueros celebrated team members who will be moving on to universities this coming year.
The Bulldogs served the first ball to start the match, but was quickly met with tough defense from City College. Following a recent CCCWV CA State Player of the Week nomination, freshman No. 7 Tana Long opened the match serving a dominant first set for the Vaqueros. Long quickly ran up the score 8-0 and hit back to back ace serves.
“I’m happy, that was a nice team win finishing conference,” Long said.
Also within the first set, freshman No. 22 Valeria Bellodas broke an almost ten year old City College record after surpassing 55 ace serves in one season. She passed the previous record set in 2015, as many cheered for her accomplishment. Niksto attributes this achievement to her hard work, strength, and support from her team.
“She’s a phenomenal server and player. I’m just so proud of her,” Niksto said.
The second set opened in a back to back fashion, but momentum was quickly regained by the Vaqueros, who won the second set by a score of 25-19. High energy from the Vaqueros’ bench was shown throughout the night.
Sophomore Natalie Lercari-Sullivan rallied with her team, all while making 17 assists throughout the duration of the match. While she was momentarily off the court, you could hear her yelling “Side-out!” chant alongside her teammates.
Despite the Bulldogs’ best efforts, they were unable to control the game from the start. Bellodas went on to serve five aces during the game, and Long ended with three aces. The Vaqueros went on to win the third set with a score of 25-20, winning all three sets for the sweep.
“When we’re all playing just as one team, it’s insane,” Bellodas said. “I’ve really liked watching us get to blend as one.”
With a newly improved 18-7 record, the Vaqueros head into Western State Conference Crossovers after finishing in third place in their WSC North division.
The Vaqueros’ chemistry and unity were deemed a major highlight of the season and a driving force behind their accomplishments.
“We have the most difficult conference in the state, which I love because it means we have really good playoff level competition all year long,” Niksto said. “So while I’m disappointed to finish third, we feel very prepared and ready for the playoffs.”
The Vaqueros face off at 6 p.m on Tuesday Nov. 19 in the Sports Pavillion against Bakersfield College, who finished third in WSC South. This match determines seeding for the playoff bracket.
