Beach Volleyball Ready to Make Return to the Sand
TORRANCE, Calif. --- The El Camino College beach volleyball team had its sights on big things in 2020. They had just received the program's first ever No. 1 ranking from the American Volleyball Coaches' Association on March 10, 2019. The team had gotten off to a 10-1 start, it's best showing since the program's founding in 2016. But just a few days later, the 2020 season would be lost due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, an event that would also wipe out any chance for a season in 2021.
Now, nearly two years after the cancellation of the promising 2020 season, the Warriors will finally make their return to the sand this Friday when they head to Irvine Valley to open the season against the host Lasers and MiraCosta.
"We've been practicing for a long time and the athletes are beyond excited to get back in the sand and play a match," said Warriors head coach LeValley Pattison. "I am very happy that the players will be back competing; there is only so much you can do with over a year of practice! We are looking to put 5 solid teams on the court each match and there could be some mixing and partner changes as we figure out who plays best with whom, but the players are ready and looking forward to the season opener."
The Warriors welcome back just two returners from the 2020 squad that finished ranked No. 1. Ginia Goods and Diana Enriquez look to be a part of the top two duos for the Warriors with Goods likely partnering with freshman Lauren McCarthy while Enriquez will pair with newcomer Fayth Rascon.
The rest of the pairs could change as the season goes on but at the moment Pattison lists the No. 3-5 pairs in this order:
Others on the roster that should make a contribution are Crystal Salgado, Saki Yamamoto, Athina Sarreas and Adelynn Abrams.
The Warriors kick off their season this Friday and will return home on Thursday, February 24 against Orange Coast at noon.