SMCC Women's Volleyball Concludes 2024 Season

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College women's volleyball team (5-22, 3-15 ACCAC) wrapped up its 2024 season last week with a 3-0 loss at Glendale CC on Oct. 30 and a 3-2 defeat at Chandler-Gilbert CC on Nov. 1. Sophomore Rylea Simonich led the Cougars with 10 kills against the Gauchos. Two days later, against the Coyotes, Simonich posted 18 kills and 15 digs, while freshman Alyssa Szymanski had a season-high 11 kills. 

Glendale CC Recap

SMCC fell in straight sets at GCC, who won the ACCAC Division II title and will host the Regional Tournament: 25-20, 25-8, 25-15. SMCC totaled 23 kills in 90 attacks and added 22 assists, four service aces, 36 digs, one solo block, and four block assists. 

Simonich hit .188 in 32 attacks to total 10 kills, her 17th match with at least 10 kills. She also had three digs. 

Sophomore Lesjune Florance-Littles was second on the team with six kills. She added three digs, one service ace, and one block assist. Szymanski had three kills and added a solo block, and sophomores Ayanna Rae LeBlanc and Savannah Collings had two kills apiece. 

Sophomore Hope Williamson led SMCC with 13 assists and added two digs and a block assist. Sophomore Raegan Moran had seven assists and four digs, while sophomore Mikelle McAfee led SMCC with 11 digs. 

Chandler-Gilbert CC Recap

The Cougars and Coyotes battled over five sets in both teams' season finale, with CGCC ultimately prevailing: 25-21, 21-25, 26-24, 18-25, 15-8. SMCC racked up 57 kills, 54 assists, five service aces, 88 digs, three solo blocks, and 20 block assists. 

Simonich recorded her 14th double-double of the season in her final match in a Cougar uniform. She posted 18 kills on 67 swings to hit .194 over the five sets and added 15 digs, a service ace, a solo block, and two block assists. She finished the year with 328 kills and 284 digs. 

Szymanski hit .300 on 30 swings to record a new season-best with 11 kills. She added three digs, two block assists, and one assist. She finished the year with 94 kills, 37 total blocks (4 solos, 33 assists), and 25 digs. 

LeBlanc posted seven kills, six block assists, three digs, and one solo block. She finished the season with 115 total blocks (28 solos, 87 assists), the most by a Cougar since at least the 2012 season. She also had 182 kills, 56 digs, and 22 service aces on the year. 

Freshman Bailee Baca posted seven kills on 22 attacks and added 17 digs. She also had three assists, one service ace, one solo block, and two block assists. She produced 161 kills, 249 digs, 23 total blocks (8 solos, 15 assists), and 18 service aces. 

Williamson had six kills and a team-best 37 assists in her final match as a Cougar. She added six digs and four block assists and finished the year with 552 assists, 187 digs, 93 kills, and 43 total blocks (five solos, 38 assists). 

McAfee recorded 32 digs and added three assists and two service aces. She ended the year with 588 digs, 43 service aces, and 79 assists. Collings had five kills and four block assists and ended the year with 81 kills, 51 total blocks (eight solos, 43 assists), and 18 digs.