Griffs knock off new PCAC champ Mesa

By Nick Pellegrino
East County Sports

EL CAJON (11-3-2018) – The Grossmont College women’s volleyball team saw their string of eight consecutive Pacific Coast Athletic Conference championships come to an end at eight (2010-17), but the Griffins capped the regular season looking like champions.

On Friday (Nov. 1), in a match which saw two of the four sets go into extended play (“overtime”), Grossmont won both of those game to down San Diego Mesa, this year’s PCAC titlist, to accelerate their chance of gaining a first-round home match when the CCCAA state playoffs begin.

The regionals begin on Sat., Nov. 17. The state finals are slated for Solano College in Fairfield (the North Bay area near San Francisco) on Dec. 1.

The G-House won by scores of 28-26, 23-25, 25-22 and 29-27 in the 2-hour marathon to avenge a dramatic 5-set setback at Mesa on Oct. 17.

Despite Grossmont (19-5 overall, -3 PCAC) remaining in third place behind the Olympians (9-1) and San Diego City (8-2), the team’s state ranking and high power index should allow the program to garner at least one home match in the postseason.

In defeating Mesa, it was the “usual suspects” for Grossmont, again led by University of Hawai’i transfer Shaney Lipscomb (Cathedral Catholic) and Granite Hills High product Alexis Vanlandingham. Both led the offense with 15 kills each, while setter Kylee Snyder (also Granite Hills) tallied 21 assists and four service aces.

“This was probably one of the most exciting games I’ve played so far at Grossmont,” Vanlandingham said. “Not only did we play extremely well but our energy was so high and it was so much fun.

Lipscomb also led the defense with nine digs, as the Griffins also out-blocked Mesa by a 3-to-2 margin, holding the Olympians to a mere 18.9 spiking percentage, the team’s lowest hitting rate in conference play all season. Grossmont was also 3-to-2 betting on the attack at 26.3 percent and in aces (14 to 9).

Mesa was led by Raven Casas and her match-high 21 kills, while Amanda Nguyen added 19. However, due to Mesa’s poor record in non-conference matches – they are just 16-10 overall – this could limit Grossmont since they finished below “Phi Mesa Face-a.”

“(Coach) Jamie (Ivers) was really proud of us after the game which made us all so happy because she does so much for us and cares so much that it’s a good feeling when she is proud of how we play,” Vanlandingham said. “We all did our jobs and did them well, which allowed us to get the win. We all worked really hard in my opinion.

“I think this was a good game to kick off postseason because we saw how much potential we hold. I’m excited to start playoffs”

Before the playoffs begin, Grossmont will participate in a crossover tournament with PCAC schools against several Northern California-based programs. Such events will definitely affect the state rankings and seeds.