El Camino Women’s Volleyball Advances to State Championship for the First Time Since 2011

TORRANCE, Calif. - The No. 6 ranked Warriors (23-3) hosted the 2^nd Round of the Regional Championship facing the No. 14 ranked Irvine Valley Lasers (15-7) on Saturday night. The Warriors swept the Lasers 25-20, 25-16, 25-15. The Warriors advance to the State Championship for the first time since 2011.

The Warriors have lost in the 2^nd Round of Regional Championships for the last four seasons. Last season the Warriors lost to LA Pierce. In 2011, the team advanced to the state championships after defeating Grossmont College. El Camino Coach Le Valley Pattison stated, "It has always been our goal to win conference and go to state and they [El Camino] obtained that goal."

In the first set, the Warriors held the Lasers to a close match finishing 25-20. The beginning of the second set was slow for the Warriors as they were trailing up until the 11^th point, however they ended up winning the set 25-16 off of Sophomore Taylor Brydon's six kills and Sophomore Michelle Shimamoto's seven digs. The Warriors started the third set started strong, up 6-0 and eventually finished 25-15.

Brydon finished the game with another double-double, 17 kills and 11 digs. Shimamoto also had an excellent defensive game with 19 digs. Freshmen Jaylin Motley and Aiko Waters also finished the game with nine kills in which assisted in the reoccurring offensive pressure throughout the game. Coach Pattison described tonight's victory as a team effort. "It was a team effort tonight and it has been a team effort in practice, in which has continued the growth for the team." Pattison is finishing her 26^th season as the head coach of the El Camino College women's volleyball program and has been named south coast conference Coach of the Year 14 times.

Following this victory, the Warriors advance to the State Championship that will take place Saturday, December 3^rd through Sunday, December 4^th at LA Pierce College.