Simonich Surpasses 500 Career Kills for SMCC Women's Volleyball

PHOENIX ---

Sophomore Rylea Simonich became the first Cougar to surpass 500 kills since the 2018 season as the South Mountain Community College women's volleyball team (5-20, 3-13 ACCAC) fell 3-0 to Scottsdale CC on Oct. 23 and 3-2 to Pima CC on Oct. 25 in a pair of conference matches last week. Simonich went over the 500 mark at some point during the match with the Aztecs and finished the contest with a team-high 15 kills. She also led SMCC with five kills against the Fighting Artichokes. 

Pima CC Recap

The Cougars and Aztecs battled to a fifth and decisive set before Pima CC ultimately prevailed: 23-25, 25-17, 25-20, 21-25, 15-11. SMCC finished with 45 kills on 156 attacks and added 35 assists, seven service aces, 93 digs, six solo blocks, and three block assists. 

Simonich posted her 13th double-double of the season with 15 kills and 17 digs over the five sets. She hit .220 in 50 attacks and added two service aces and two solo blocks. 

Fellow sophomore Ayanna Rae LeBlanc reached double-figures with 10 kills and hit .174 in 23 attacks. She recorded three solo blocks, two digs, and one block assist. 

Freshman Bailee Baca and sophomore Raegan Moran each had five kills, and sophomores Savannah Collings and Lesjune Florance-Littles had three. Moran led SMCC with 23 assists, adding eight digs and a service ace. Baca had 10 digs, Collings added a block assist, and Florance-Littles added four digs and a service ace. 

Sophomore Hope Williamson posted her sixth double-double of the year with 11 assists and 12 digs. She also had a service ace, one solo block, and one block assist. 

Sophomore Mikelle McAfee had a team-high 25 digs and added a service ace. 

Scottsdale CC Recap

The Cougars fell in straight sets to SCC on Oct. 23: 25-11, 25-15, 25-14. SMCC totaled 14 kills, six assists, 17 digs, and one solo block in defeat. 

Simonich had five kills on 20 swings and added two digs. LeBlanc had three kills, two digs, a solo block, and a service ace. 

McAfee led SMCC with six digs and added a service ace. Williamson led the Cougars with four assists.