Warriors beach volleyball fall in State Championship, ending 22 match win streak

By Ethan Cohen|May 12, 2022

El Camino Beach Volleyball player Fayth Rascon (right) motions to avoid a block from opponent Jaclyn Sanchez (left) during a game against Irvine Valley College College at Irvine Valley College Sand Courts on Thursday, May 12, 2022. Rascon and partner Lauren McCarthy lost sets in the overall match loss against the Lasers . (Naoki Gima | Union Photo)

Despite having a near-perfect season and a hard-fought playoffs bracket, El Camino College’s beach volleyball team will not bring home the 2022 California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Team State Championship title.

The top five pairs took to the sand against Cabrillo College and Irvine Valley College on Thursday, May 12 at the Irvine Valley College sand courts but ended up falling flat against both teams snapping its nearly season-long win streak of 22 matches.

Ahead of Thursday’s matchup, the Warriors posted a staggering 22 wins in a row after losing its first three season opener matches, one of them being the only time the team had faced the Irvine Valley Lasers.

Coming in as the No. 3 seed, the Warriors faced No. 1 seed Cabrillo and No. 2 seed Irvine Valley in Pool B losing nearly every single set against its opponents coming out on top only once against Irvine Valley.

Warriors' Diana Enriquez (#24) motions for a dig against Cabrillo College at the Irvine Valley College sand courts on Thursday, May 12. Enriquez and partner Emily Uhrinak (#9) played two sets against the Seahawks losing both 21-12, 21-15. (Ethan Cohen | The Union) — Warriors’ Diana Enriquez (#24) motions for a dig against Cabrillo College at the Irvine Valley College Sand Courts on Thursday, May 12. Enriquez and partner Emily Uhrinak (#9) played two sets against the Seahawks losing both 21-12, 21-15. (Ethan Cohen | The Union)

Starting the pool playoff against Cabrillo, the Warriors came out strong but were caught flat against the No. 1 seed and lost all five of its matches with a considerable margin.

Irvine Valley was slated next against the Warriors who had put up an intense fight but ceded the match to the Lasers with a 4-1 loss effectively ending their season run towards the title.

El Camino College Warrior No. 2 pair Ginia Goods (#8) spikes the ball against Irvine Valley opponent Kendall Nolan (#11) at the Irvine Valley Sand Courts on Thursday, May 12. Goods (#8) and partner Kaila Siu (#2) lost their match to the Laser 21-9, 21-10. (Ethan Cohen | The Union) — El Camino College Warrior No. 2 pair Ginia Goods (#8) spikes the ball against Irvine Valley opponent Barett Nolan (#11) at the Irvine Valley Sand Courts on Thursday, May 12. Goods (#8) and partner Kaila Siu (#2) lost their match to the Lasers 21-9, 21-10. (Ethan Cohen | The Union)

Coach LeValley Pattison told The Union that coming into the playoffs season with a young team consisting of players who have had little experience playing beach volleyball before is a challenge because every team is good at this level.

“We have a lot of very young, raw players,” coach Pattison said, “hopefully they learned a little bit about how to play consistently at a high level.”

The 2022 El Camino Beach Volleyball team poses for a team photo at the Irvine Valley Sand Courts on Thursday, May 12, 2022. The Warriors had an overall record of 22-5 during their season losing just shy of the state championship title against Cabrillo College and Irvine Valley College. (Naoki Gima | Union Photo)

Reflecting on the overall season, coach Pattison explained the troubles that the Warriors faced and eventually overcame, leading to a string of victories that gave them the opportunity to compete for the state championship title.

“If I would have thought at the beginning of the season when we were 0-3, that we would end up here I would have thought it to be incredibly optimistic, so I’m proud of us” coach Pattison said. “I think everybody put in a lot of time and effort and it showed.”

For the El Camino beach volleyball team, its season ends just short of the state championship title with an overall record of 22-5.

No.1 pairs Warriors' Lauren McCarthy (#13) and Lasers' Jaclyn Sanchez (#31) meet with the official before the start of their match at the Irvine Valley Sand Courts on Thursday, May 12. McCarthy and partner Fayth Rascon (#19) lost their match to the Lasers 21-15, 21-18. (Ethan Cohen | The Union) — No.1 pairs Warriors’ Lauren McCarthy (#13) and Lasers’ Jaclyn Sanchez (#31) meet with the official before the start of their match at the Irvine Valley Sand Courts on Thursday, May 12. McCarthy and partner Fayth Rascon (#19) lost their match to the Lasers 21-15, 21-18. (Ethan Cohen | The Union)

No. 1 pair Fayth Rascon and Lauren McCarthy continue to play as the No. 4 seed in the CCCAA Pairs State Championship on Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14 at Irvine Valley College for a chance at the state title.

“This was a good finish,” coach Pattison said. “I can’t complain, I’m proud of them all.”