Hawks’ party plans placed on hold

ECS staff report

EL CAJON – The final home match of the women’s volleyball season was supposed to be a night of celebration.

San Diego Christian College only needed to defeat William Jessup,a team they swept 24 hours prior, to clinch second place in the West Division for its best standing since joining the Golden State Athletic Conference.

The party will need to wait a week.

After the Hawks posted an easy 25-18, 25-13, 25-21 triumph over the Warriors on Tuesday (Mar. 30), they allowed one to slip away Thursday (Mar. 31).

A not-so-surprising slow start was countered with impressive wins in the next two sets, only to fall asleep late to allow Jessup to take the victory, 25-21, 8-25, 13-25, 26-24, 15-8.

For SDCC, its magic number to clinch second place remains at one. The remaining matches are on the road, next week at No. 4 nationally-ranked Westmont in Santa Barbara, then the following week in Fullerton against last-place Hope International.

The first match saw the Hawks register twice as many kills, while Jessup posted a negative hitting percentage (more errors than kills) in the sweep.

Jessica Pinasco led with a team-season-low eight kills, which is not unexpected in such a blowout, as all five SDCC starters (except the setter) had at least two kills.

In Match 2, after getting demolished in the second and third set, Jessup barely registered more kills in the fourth set, 12-11, in set four to force a tie-break. The momentum carried over, as 10 of the Warriors’ 15 points came on kills.

Pinasco again led the Hawks (10-7 overall, 6-4 GSAC West) with nine kills, while Alexis DeBina-Bautis and Aixa Crespo each added seven.