Community college women’s volleyball: Off-beat Pirates lose in

title match

Steve Virgen

PASADENA - The obstacles were just too much for the Orange Coast

College women’s volleyball team in its quest for its first state title

since 1982.

The Pirates faced Golden West, which had won the past eight state

titles, without their starting setter Amber McCarthy. In addition, OCC

had just come off a five-game victory three hours before facing the

Rustlers.

Golden West took advantage of the Pirates’ weaknesses, pouncing on

their inability to find rhythm to grab a 30-15, 30-20, 30-21 victory for

its 14th state title Sunday at Pasadena City College.

“(McCarthy’s injury) just took us out of sync,” OCC Coach Chuck

Cutenese said. “Rochelle (Suesoff) and Julie (Atkinson) came up and set

us some big games. But we just couldn’t get any momentum. (The Pirates)

couldn’t find any rhythm.”

McCarthy, an Orange Empire Conference first-team selection, sprained

her ankle in the first game against Golden West Saturday night. The

Rustlers were leading, 22-19, when McCarthy’s foot rolled up against the

net’s pole. Golden West (22-3) went on to sweep, 30-20, 30-20, 30-23, to

send OCC to the second-chance bracket.

However, the Pirates (22-3) overcame their unfortunate situation and

when they were down 2-0 in games to San Joaquin Delta, they rose to the

occasion.

San Joaquin Delta, the No. 1-seeded team from the North, jumped out to

a two-game lead as OCC searched for any spark of momentum. The Pirates,

the OEC champions seeded No. 1 from the South, used the hitting combo of

Katja Muller and Krystle Davis to mount the comeback.

Muller, the OEC’s Most Valuable player, slammed a match-high 27 kills,

while Davis, an OEC first-team player, added 25 kills. Both earned

all-tournament laurels.

“In my coaching career at Coast, that was the second most exciting win

I’ve had,” Cutenese said. “That (win) showed our character and our heart.

(Against Golden West), we just ran out of gas. I’m excited, pleased and

so proud of what we accomplished.”

Golden West sophomore Raimi Mitchell was awarded tournament MVP, as

she led the Rustlers with 13 digs and three blocks in the championship

match. Roxanne Orsini, one of five returning sophomores from last year’s

championship team, led Golden West with 15 kills.

“We were ready for (the Pirates),” Golden West Coach Albert Gasparian

said.

OCC and the Rustlers split matches during the season, with Golden West

earning the latter victory, a five-game win Nov. 14.

Gasparian, who has been coaching at the school since 1983, earning 13 state titles, thought his sophomores keyed the victory and the Rustlers

peaked at the right time.

“If I had a nickel for every time I heard somebody say, we’re not that

good or we’re not going to win, I would be rich,” Gasparian said. “In

fact I read it in (the Daily Pilot) about a month ago.”