Taft Midway Driller
Cougars now 3-1 in CVC after 25-16, 25-23 and 25-17 win:
There was more than the usual interest when Taft College hosted Porterville College in a Central Valley Conference volleyball match Wednesday night.
Each had a freshman from Taft High on their team. The Cougars had Christina Warner, a 5-foot-4 defensive specialist while the Pirates had 5-foot-9 outside hitter Brooke Reilly. Both saw action.
To spice things up the Taft High volleyball team attended and cheered both former Wildcats.
Reilly chose Porterville because that's where boyfriend Tevin Howell went to play basketball. Howell was a three-sport star for the Wildcats.
In the end the Cougars prevailed on the court, sweeping the Pirates by scores of 25-16, 25-23 and 25-17.
"We played hard tonight," said Cougar coach Kanoe Bandy. "It was nice to play hard and have it pay off. Last week we played hard at Fresno but just didn't have the tools." The Rams swept the Cougars.
TC will take a 3-1 conference record (5-9 overall) into Ridgecrest tonight where the Cougars will play Cerro Coso College (1-4, 1-9), a new member of the CVC.
"It's a long trip but we are accustomed to it because we are at the southern end of our conference," Bandy said.
Sophomore outside hitter Virgie Salanoa-Sagapolu paced the Cougar attack against Porterville with 12 kills. Courtnie Perry had 9, Rachel Nance 6 and Jasmina Clayton 5.
Libero Janell Molina was all over the backcourt, hustling to record 24 digs. Freshman Luse Lumas added 14, Payton Spragling 11, Karlie Richardson 9, and Salanoa-Sagapolu 8.
The Cougars blocked 8 shots with Perry getting half of them and Spragling and Nance 2 apiece.
Setter Spragling tossed up 32 assists.
TC hosts Reedley College next Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Al Baldock Cougar Sports Center.