SMCC Women's Volleyball Stuns No. 12 Chandler-Gilbert CC

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College women's volleyball team (5-9, 1-4 ACCAC) defeated No. 12 Chandler-Gilbert CC 3-2 in a thrilling, five-set ACCAC victory on Friday, Sept. 15 at the SMCC Gym. Trailing 2-0 to the nationally ranked Coyotes, the Cougars engineered a reverse sweep and posted an epic comeback in the fifth set to earn the first conference win of the season: 21-25, 18-25, 25-18, 25-22, 19-17. 

The Cougars hit just .105 with 19 kills and 14 errors in 54 attacks over the first two sets. However, in the third set, things began to turn around when SMCC hit .333 with 11 kills in 24 swings. In the fourth set, SMCC finished with 10 kills and four errors and then tallied seven kills and two errors in the fifth set. SMCC finished with 47 kills, 46 assists, eight service aces, 73 digs, and 12 blocks over the five sets. 

Sophomore Rylee Pitts led SMCC with 16 kills and added 10 digs to record her third double-double. She added two solo blocks, an assist and a block assist in the victory. 

Freshman Hope Williamson also posted a double-double in the win, finishing with 10 kills and 15 digs. She hit a blistering .353 in 17 attacks and added a service ace. 

Sophomore Lexi Wasil had eight kills, freshman Ayanna Rae LeBlanc had six and freshman Rylea Simonich had five in the win. Wasil had three digs and a block assist, LeBlanc had two solo blocks and a block assist, and Simonich finished with two service aces, three digs, four solo blocks and a block assist. 

Sophomore Delicea McAuley had a team-high 44 assists and added seven digs, two kills, and a service ace. Freshman Mikelle McAfee had 15 digs, two service aces and an assist, and sophomore Hayden Rosales led the Cougars with 20 digs.