OCC draws Fresno City in state tourney opener

The Orange Coast College women’s volleyball team, fresh off an upset of the top-ranked team in the state in the Southern California Regional playoffs Saturday night, is the No. 1 seed from SoCal and will meet Fresno City College in the opening round of the eight-team, double-elimination state tournament Friday at Pasadena City College.

The Pirates (20-4), who have won six straight and eight of their last nine, finished third in the rugged Orange Empire Conference and were ranked No. 11 in the final regular-season state poll. But, Coach Chuck Cutenese, who guided the Pirates to state titles in 2005 and 2006, said a handful of lineup changes have helped OCC find its optimum level of play.

That high performance level created a 25-21, 14-25, 25-22, 25-22 triumph over host Los Angeles Pierce Saturday that ended the Brahmas’ 61-match winning streak at home and a 27-match overall winning streak.

Fresno City (25-5) was ranked No. 20 in the final state poll.

The tournament continues Saturday and Sunday at PCC.

— Barry Faulkner