Grossmont College takes down El Camino women’s volleyball team in four sets

By Phil Sidavong • September 17, 2016

Sophomore opposite hitter Taylor Brydon attacks the ball against the Grossmont College Griffins. The El Camino women’s volleyball team was taken down in four sets on Friday. Photo credit: Elijah Hicks

The El Camino women’s volleyball team (8-3 overall) attempted to end the undefeated streak of the visiting Grossmont College Griffins (8-0), only to be out-scrapped defensively in a 3-1 loss (25-12, 21-25, 29-27, 25-17) on Friday.

Grossmont’s sophomore libero Gionni Brown had a match-high 19 digs, added four service aces and even a couple of kills.

“(Brown) was killing it,” freshman middle blocker Cheyanne Smith said. “She was all over the place, we were just trying to find spots where it was open and where she wasn’t going to be.”

Attacks that should have landed, or would have normally gone off the arms of other defenders, were being put in the air by Brown, and the Griffins’ head coach Jamie Ivers has been proud of her libero’s play.

“Gionni is just a total difference maker,” Ivers said. “She always has been, she always makes the spectacular plays. She brings a great amount of energy and is really the core of our defense.”

Brown played very well, but it wasn’t just her, the entire Griffins’ team amassed 63 digs with just one reception error, and comparatively, the Warriors struggled. Despite having 58 digs as a team, the home team had 14 reception errors.

El Camino women's volleyball team freshman outside hitter Aiko Waters attacks the ball against the Grossmont College Griffins in the 3-1 loss on Friday. Photo credit: Elijah Hicks

Although the Warriors took the loss and are now 8-3, the team had tried a new system the players weren’t quite used to. El Camino coach Le Valley Pattison employed a 6-2 offense, which in general terms means that there are two opposite hitters who play front row for their respective setter.

Smith would go in for sophomore setter Nina Wyer, along with sophomore setter Michelle Shimamoto, who would go in for sophomore opposite Taylor Brydon.

“I liked (the 6-2) actually,” Pattison said. “(Smith) is super raw, I think reps and getting (her) up to game speed is really hard.”

This was Smith’s first match of the season after beginning the season with a foot injury.

The Warriors outlasted the San Diego Mesa College Olympians in a five-set thriller (25-14, 23-25, 22-25, 25-17, 15-13) earlier in the day, Grossmont swept College of the Canyons, who then swept Mesa and then the Griffins beat EC.