SMCC Men's Volleyball Continues Ascent in Second Season

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College men's volleyball team continues to set new program benchmarks in its second season as Arizona's only two-year men's volleyball program. The Cougars have posted two wins over NAIA Park-Gilbert, the first two victories in program history, and have battled with other four-year universities in the 2023 campaign. 

Mar. 1 Park-Gilbert Recap

SMCC posted a 3-1 road victory at Park-Gilbert, the first road win in program history: 26-28, 25-21, 30-28, 25-21. The Cougars totaled 55 kills and eight errors in 134 attacks to post a .351 hitting percentage. They added 53 assists, six service aces, 46 digs, seven solo blocks and 14 block assists in the win. 

Freshman Michael Howell led SMCC with 19 kills and posted a .586 hitting percentage in 29 attacks. He added 13 digs, two solo blocks and two block assists in registering his first double-double of the year. Freshman Zach Brown was second on the team with 13 kills on 33 swings, and he also had five digs and a solo block. 

Freshman Connor McCann was the third Cougar with double-figure kills, posting 10 on 21 attacks and adding four block assists. Freshman Brandon Pauole led SMCC with 51 assists and added four kills, three service aces, six digs and a block assist. 

Sophomore Andy Sanchez led SMCC with 11 digs and added two assists and freshman Patrick Mayer had four kills, four solo blocks and three block assists.

Mar. 12 Viterbo University (WI) Recap 

The Cougars fell in four sets to NAIA Viterbo University (WI) in a home match on Mar. 12: 25-11, 19-25, 26-24, 25-14. SMCC totaled 28 kills and 17 errors on 98 swings to finish with a .112 hitting percentage. The Cougars added 26 assists, six service aces, 38 digs, eight solo blocks and six block assists. 

Howell led SMCC with nine kills in 28 swings and posted 12 digs and a block assist. McCann finished with eight kills on 18 attacks and added three digs, three solo blocks and two block assists. Mayer had five kills in 11 swings, and Pauole recorded 25 assists, five service aces, five digs, one solo block and one block assist. Sanchez had 11 digs, and freshman Victor Frejo had two kills. 

Mar. 23 Arizona Christian University Recap 

The Cougars fell in four sets at Arizona Christian on Mar. 27: 14-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-18. SMCC totaled 45 kills on 129 attacks to post a .194 hitting percentage and added 41 assists, six service aces, 43 digs, two solo blocks and 18 block assists. 

McCann posted a team-high 16 digs on 32 attacks to finish with a .406 hitting percentage. He added a solo block and eight block assists in four sets. Brown had 12 kills on 35 swings (.229 hitting percentage) and added a service ace, eight digs, and a block assist. 

Howell posted seven kills, 10 digs and three block assists, while sophomore Mario Abril had seven kills, two assists, a service ace, eight digs and a block assist. 

Mar. 27 Ottawa University (AZ) Recap 

SMCC had a match point in the fifth set, but Arizona Christian escaped with a five-set victory on Mar. 27: 26-28, 25-19, 25-22, 24-26, 17-15. SMCC had 42 kills in 107 attacks for a .243 hitting percentage and added 40 assists, four service aces, 31 digs, six solo blocks and 16 block assists.

Brown had a team-high 14 kills in 35 attacks and recorded one service ace, four digs, two solo blocks and two block assists. McCann had 10 kills, three solo blocks and seven block assists, while Pauole posted eight kills, 28 assists, one service ace, four digs and five block assists. 

Sanchez led SMCC with 10 digs, while Howell had five kills and five digs. 

Mar. 28 Benedictine-Mesa Recap

The Cougars suffered their first sweep of the season, falling 3-0 at Benedictine-Mesa on Mar. 28: 26-24, 25-19, 25-19. SMCC had 35 kills on 93 attacks and recorded 33 assists, five service aces, 29 digs, a solo block and 10 block assists. 

Howell led SMCC with eight kills and added seven digs, while Brown had seven kills and six digs. Pauole had four kills and four digs to go with a team-high 23 assists, and McCann posted four kills, four block assists and a solo block. 

Abril also had four kills and added a block assists, and Sanchez registered six digs and two assists. Sophomore John Engelbert had six kills in 10 attacks and added three digs and a block assist.