Taft College Advances to Elite Eight of State Championship Tournament for Second Time in Program History
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
22 | 22 | 13 | 0 |
|
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25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Team Stats
Sequoias
| Game Statistics | Sequoias | Taft |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .045 | .287 |
| Blocks | 6.5 | 10.0 |
| Digs | 68 | 67 |
| Aces | 4 | 1 |
The Taft College Cougars are headed to the Elite Eight of the CCCAA State Championship Tournament for just the second time in program history after a dominant 3–0 sweep over No. 7 College of the Sequoias in the regional finals (25–22, 25–22, 25–13). Taft will face Santa Monica College in the state quarterfinals on Friday, December 5 at 10:00 a.m. The match will be held at Folsom Lake College.
The No. 2 Cougars (30–2) extended their remarkable win streak to 21 straight matches, securing their first return to the state tournament since 2004. This latest victory marked the Cougars' third sweep of Sequoias this season in a showdown between Central Valley Conference South Division champion Taft College and division runner-up COS.
The opening set featured one of the most dramatic rallies of the night. With COS threatening to tie the score late, Vienna Perier, whose instinctive, self-defense dig ricocheted over the net for a crucial point. Perier followed it up moments later with the set-winning kill to give Taft a 1–0 lead.
In the second set, the Giants tied the score at 22–22, but Taft responded instantly. Shylah Pulu-Valdez hammered home a kill, and Jazzahlei Satele added another down the sideline to seal the set and push the Cougars ahead 2–0.
Taft dominated the third set, surging ahead early and never looking back to complete the sweep. Jazlyn Juarez had an electric night and closed the match with a big swing to the back corner. Amber Makainai distributed a very balanced offense while Shyanne Yamada provided much needed ball control to the team. Haviland Valdez and Ku'u Manaois put up a wall at the net contributing 4 blocks and 3 blocks, respectively.
Key players for Taft College were instrumental in this victory. Vienna Perier led the team with 13 kills, followed closely by Jazlyn Juarez and Jazzahlei Satele, each contributing 10 kills. Additionally, defensive efforts were notable, with Havi Valdez and Shylah Pulu-Valdez each recording 4 blocks. The agility and reactions were further on display with Shyanne Yamada obtaining 14 digs and also contributing an ace to the team's cause.
The Cougars' assistant contributions were substantial, with Vienna Perier also making 18 assists. Amber Makainai wasn't far behind, contributing 16 assists, assisting in the fluidity and attack of the plays. Teihanni Tafisi and Shyanne Yamada bolstered the defensive lineup, bringing in 8 and 14 digs respectively, while Satele had 14 digs of her own.
Looking forward, with momentum, depth, and one of the most balanced offenses in the state, the Cougars enter the Elite Eight with confidence and championship aspirations. The Cougars will face Santa Monica College in Folsom, CA, aiming to continue their strong performance in the ongoing championship.