Cougar Women's Volleyball Starts 2024 Season at Opening Weekend Tournament

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College women's volleyball team (1-5) started its 2024 season with six matches in Illinois, five of which were part of the Opening Weekend Tournament in Rockford. SMCC opened the year in exciting fashion, posting a 3-2 victory over Rock Valley College on Aug. 22. Among the standouts from the weekend for the Cougars were sophomores Mikelle McAfee (111 digs, seven service aces), Ayanna Rae LeBlanc (24 kills, 17 total blocks), and Hope Williamson (23 kills, 63 assists, 40 digs). 

Rock Valley College Recap

The Cougars won 3-2 (22-25, 25-21, 25-10, 19-25, 16-14) over Rock Valley College in a thrilling five-set match to jumpstart the 2024 campaign. 

SMCC hit .181 over the five sets, totaling 49 kills, 47 assists, six service aces, 95 digs, and nine total blocks (four solo stuffs). The Cougars hit a match-best .333 in the third set behind 13 kills and two errors on 33 swings. 

LeBlanc and freshman Bailee Baca led SMCC with 10 kills apiece. LeBlanc added four digs, one solo block, and three block assists, while Baca recorded 14 digs to post her first career double-double. 

Sophomore Savannah Collings posted nine kills on 17 swings to hit .412 over the five sets. She added two solo blocks, one solo block, and one assist. Fellow sophomore Rylea Simonich also had nine kills and added 13 digs, two service aces, one solo block, one block assist, and one assist. 

McAfee led SMCC with 25 digs and added five assists and four service aces, while freshman Raegan Moran led the Cougars with 27 assists and recorded 10 digs. 

Grand Rapids CC Recap

The Cougars fell 3-0 (26-24, 25-16, 25-17) to Grand Rapids CC in their first match at the Opening Weekend Tournament. 

SMCC hit .077 over the three sets, finishing with 21 kills, 21 assists, five service aces, 57 digs, and seven total blocks (four solo stuffs). 

Simonich led the Cougars with seven kills and added four digs, one solo block, and one block assist. Baca was the second on the squad with four kills and added five digs, two solo blocks, and two block assists. 

Moran had a team-high 14 assists to go with seven digs, while McAfee had 21 digs, two assists, and one service ace. Williamson finished with 11 digs, five assists, and a team-high three service aces. 

Gulf Coast State College Recap

The Cougars fell 3-0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-15) to Gulf Coast State College in their second match of the Opening Weekend Tournament. 

SMCC hit .157 for the match and totaled 21 kills, 19 assists, four service aces, 37 digs, four solo blocks, and 12 block assists. 

Baca recorded a team-high seven kills on 20 swings and added five digs and two service aces. Simonich was second with five kills, while LeBlanc and Williamson each had four kills.

Simonich added four digs and two block assists, LeBlanc had four block assists, two solo blocks, and a dig, and Williamson posted 12 assists, six digs, and two block assists. 

McAfee had a team-high eight digs to go with two assists, and sophomore Helen Altagaracia had six digs, one assist, and one service ace. 

Parkland College Recap

The Cougars fell 3-0 (25-12, 25-17, 26-24) to Parkland College in their third match of the season. 

SMCC posted 29 kills, 28 assists, one service ace, 59 digs, and seven total blocks (three solo blocks). 

Williamson led SMCC with nine kills and hit .389 in 18 swings. She added 14 assists, eight digs, and two block assists. Baca had seven kills, 10 digs, and one assist, while Simonich and freshman Alyssa Szymanski each had four kills. 

McAfee led SMCC with 18 digs and added four assists and one service ace, and LeBlanc had two solo blocks and three block assists. 

Heartland Community College Recap

The Cougars fell 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-20) to Heartland CC on Aug. 24. 

SMCC had 21 kills, 21 assists, three service aces, 40 digs, and three total blocks (one solo block). 

Baca led SMCC with five kills and added four digs. Williamson and LeBlanc each had four kills, with Williamson adding eight assists. 

McAfee led SMCC with 20 digs and added an assist, while freshman Ailynn Solis recorded six assists, two digs, and a service ace. 

Kirkwood Community College Recap

The Cougars lost 3-0 (25-18, 25-13, 26-24) to Kirkwood CC on Aug. 24 in their final tournament match. 

SMCC finished with 28 kills, 27 assists, five service aces, 43 digs, and six total blocks (three solo blocks). 

Simonich and Baca led the Cougars with seven kills. Simonich added six digs, two assists, one solo block, one block assist, and one service ace, while Baca also added six digs, two service aces and a block assist. 

Szymanski posted six kills and a dig, and Williamson had four kills, 15 assists, five digs, and one block assist. 

McAfee led SMCC with 19 digs and added one assist and one service ace.