HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA - Taking the sand for the first time as a California Community College Athletic Association sanctioned sport, the Dons sand volleyball team picked up a pair of 3-2 wins over Cypress College and Riverside City College.
Dons vs. Cypress, Dons win 3-2
While the day ended with victory, it unfortunately didn't start that way as Cypress College's team of Makayla Taylor and Charity Dennis defeated SAC's Chloe Anderson and Bobbi Woodcock in straight sets by scores of 21-8 and 21-10.
But the Dons bounced back in their second match with Michelle Nguyen and Myriah Kunipo-Aguirre teaming up to defeat Ave Mikaele and Nae Bender in three sets. Nguyen and Kunipo-Aguirre took the first set 21-11 before losing the second set 22-20. But the tandem bounced back for the victory with a 15-8 win in the third set.
The Dons took a match lead of 2-1 behind a straight-set victory by Nina Alejandro and Iliana Mendoza over Justine Dougherty and Susan Suski (21-16, 24-22) before the Chargers tied the match at 2-2 with a win Jasmine Covington and Cassidy Johnson over Esther Arroyo and Megan Leigh Moskito (10-21, 21-16, 15-12).
The match was ultimately decided by a forfeit as Shaila Aceves and Fernanda Ruiz were not faced by an opponent.
Dons vs. Riverside City, Dons win 3-2
The day continued with a shakeup in the Dons lineup prior to their match with Riverside City College. Anderson was joined by Moskito to open the second match but were defeated by Briana Reuther and Euricce LeSure by scores of 21-18 and 21-14.
The Dons got on the board with the second pairing as Nguyen and Mendoza defeated Sabrina Gonzaga and Michelle Loftus in three sets with scores of 21-19, 19-21 and 15-8. Alejandro and Woodcock made up the Dons third pairing and were able to team up for a three-set win over Amanda Barker and Melissa Moe (21-19, 11-21 and 16-14).
The fourth set went to the Tigers as Bethany Walsh and Sydney Church defeated Arroyo and Kunipo-Aguirre 9-21, 21-18 and 14-12 setting up a winner-take-all fifth match.
This time, Aceves and Ruiz got their chance on the sand and they made the most of it with a straight-set win (21-12, 21-11) to give the Dons the 3-2 team victory.