Giants volleyball out to keep pace in CVC race

By Nick Giannandrea

For College of the Sequoias Athletics

A share of first place in the Central Valley Conference hangs in the balance when College of the Sequoias' women's volleyball team faces Columbia on Friday.

The Giants (8-3, 2-0) can pull back into a tie with Fresno City College (12-2, 3-0) with a victory. The state No. 3-ranked Rams don't play their next conference match until Oct. 2 against Reedley.

COS rides a four-match winning streak into Friday's 5 p.m. match at Columbia (3-2, 1-2). The Claim Jumpers, like the Giants, are listed as one of the "Best of the Rest" teams in the California Community College Women's Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25.

Hazel Martinez (Mission Oak High) has led COS to wins in its first two CVC matches by producing 14 kills during a 27-5, 17-25, 25-22, 25-14 victory Sept. 18 at West Hills-Coalinga, and 13 kills in a 25-12, 25-17, 25-17 sweep of Porterville on Sept. 20.

Martinez has teamed with Christa Pilgrim (Mission Oak) to power the Giants' offense this season with 90 and 106 kills, respectively.

Madison Sousa (Hanford West) has led COS' block (23), and Alexis Carmona (Madera) leads the back row with 179 digs. Sydney Guinn (Exeter) and Kia Campbell (Coalinga) have shared the team's setting duties, contributing 197 and 123 assists, respectively.

The Giants' next home match is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 2 when they host Taft at Porter Field House.

FOOTBALL

COS (2-1) puts its newfound No. 25 state ranking in the JC Athletic Bureau Coaches Poll on the line Saturday when it hosts unranked Santa Rosa (0-3).

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. from the Giant Chevrolet and Cadillac Mineral King Bowl.

The Giants broke into a state poll for the first time in six seasons following a 36-16 victory at Siskiyous on Sept. 21 that featured a pair of touchdown passes from Gus Villareal (Dinuba), a 103-yard and one-touchdown rushing performance from Davonte Green (Hammond, La.), an interception return for a touchdown from Marocs Moran (Los Angeles) and two field goals from Dominic Hernandez (Tulare Western).

Green (offense), Moran (defense) and Hernandez (special teams) were named COS Tachi-Yokut Players of the Week.

COS lost at Santa Rosa 37-13 last season and is 5-4 all-time against the Bear Cubs in a series that dates to 1978.

WOMEN'S SOCCER

COS carries a three-game winning streak into its non-conference matchup Friday at Cerro Coso (1-8).

Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. in Ridgecrest. The Giants previously beat the Coyotes 2-0 on Sept. 20 at COS.

Behind two goals and an assist from Pricilla Mancilla (Tulare Union), the Giants improved to 5-2-1 on Sept. 24 with a 3-2 victory at Chabot. 

Maria Corral (Farmersville) assisted both of Mancilla's goals. Kamryn Berry (Tulare Western) added her team-leading sixth goal of the season off a feed from Mancilla. Goalkeeper Ciana Koo (Woodlake) contributed one save.

COS concludes non-conference play Oct. 11 with a match at Modesto. The Giants open the Central Valley Conference season on Oct. 15 by hosting state No. 2-ranked Fresno City. That match is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. from COS' campus field.

MEN'S SOCCER

After winning its first two games of the season last weekend, COS (2-3-2) returns to action at 3 p.m. Friday at Compton (2-4-2).

The Tartars are coming off a 2-0 loss to LA Mission on Sept. 24. The Giants tied LA Mission 2-2 on Sept. 6.

COS exploded for 10 goals last weekend during home victories over Victor Valley (5-1) on Sept. 20 and Siskiyous (5-0) on Sept. 21.

The Giants received a combined two goals and two assists from Alex Saldana (El Diamante), two goals and an assist from Jose Cardenas (Delano) and a goal and two assists from Alexis Cabrera (Redwood).

COS' next home match is set for 4 p.m. Oct. 1 when it opens Central Valley Conference play against Taft at Riverway Sports Park.

CROSS COUNTRY

COS is idle until Oct. 4 when it competes in the Nor-Cal Preview meet in Salinas.

Last weekend, the Giants' men's team placed third at the Coyote Invitational, an 8K race in San Bernardino featuring predominantly four-year universities.

Ismael Sanchez (Redwood) was COS' top individual, finishing fifth in the 134-runner race in 24:28.68. Oscar Perez (Dinuba) was 15th in 25:00.76.

The Giants' only woman runner was Courtney Santos (Hanford West), who placed 107th in a season-best 21:30.63.