Playoffs are the goal of the regular season.
After making it to playoffs, the state championship is the only thing that has precedent in a student-athletes life.
Unfortunately for El Camino’s beach volleyball team, the Warriors couldn’t muster the determination and consistency to earn themselves a spot in the playoffs on Friday.
Instead, the Warriors were dropped in a close contest, 3-2, against Grossmont College and then thrown aside as they lost to Long Beach City College, 4-1.
“We did not put (ourselves) in a great position today,” EC coach Le Valley Pattison said. “Our unforced errors just take us out of the game.”
With the losses, EC must win against the No. 1 team in the state MiraCosta and San Diego Palomar College next Friday, all while Long Beach must lose to both Rio Hondo College and San Diego Mesa College on the same day.
Long Beach has not lost to either RHC or Mesa this season, and hasn’t even lost a pair’s match.
The MiraCosta Spartans are undefeated against community college opponents and are riding high as they sit undefeated in conference at 8-0.
But the Warriors seem to be up to the challenge.
“We’re definitely proud of beating Grossmont’s (No. 1 pair),” freshman Micah Hammond said. “There’s definitely pressure, but it’s very doable, we just have to focus more and get the points when we need to get them.”
Even if the Warriors fail to reach the playoffs for the teams, the pairs themselves will be pitted against each other in the Regional Individual Tournament on Thursday, April 27 and Friday, April 28.
Sophomore Taylor Brydon thinks that’s where she and partner, sophomore Brooklyn Rubio, can really shine.
“For the individual tournament, I kind of like it, because it’s just you and your partner,” Brydon said. “You don’t have to worry about how your other team does, so I’m really excited for that.”
The eight quarterfinalists from each of the four regions (Western State, Pacific Coast, Orange Empire and Coast) will make it to the state individual tournament.
“We’re working hard every day at practice,” Brydon added. “So I think when we get to that point, we will be fully prepared.”
