By Jerry Casarez , Wednesday Oct. 3, 2012
The Huskies volleyball team opened South Coast Conference play with a three-set loss, 25-8, 25-21 and 25-23, to El Camino College on the road last Friday.
East Los Angeles College dropped to 1-6, overall, 0-1 in the SCC. The Huskies showed some resilience by overcoming the loss in the first set and making the next two sets competitive.
“In the second set we played better. Imagine what we can do once we put it all together. We always focus on our strengths and never on weaknesses. Every team has weaknesses. We mask ours and build strengths,” Head Coach Elliot Walker said.
At one point in the second set, the Huskies led 21-19 before losing the next six points and the set, 25-21. In the third set the Huskies fought to a 17-12 lead before the Warriors battled back to tie the score, 19-19.
Knowing that the game was on the line, the Huskies fought back pulling even at 23-all. El Camino then closed out the set by winning the next two points.
The Huskies played short without some of their key players. “Right now we are down three of our key players. Claudia (Mosqueda) I do believe if she was on the floor tonight would have made a big difference. That in itself is a contributing factor to our deficit,” Walker said.
Walker said that he feels that this experience is part of growing pains as he implements a new system of play.
“Trying to get them to understand the full dynamics of the game is a challenge. At this point, not being able to achieve that last score is met with anxiety and excitement, especially against a school like El Camino,” Walker said.
With so many first year players, Walker said that he understands that success will not come overnight but they will work toward improvement over the course of the season.
“With a little more time and a little more dedication to the game itself, we anticipate the next level of the game to come,” Walker said.
Even from loss like this, Walker said that he feels that there are lessons to be learned and has seen improvement compared to where the team started before the season begun.
“They all have improved with their skill, the language in the context of the game. One standout that wasn’t as evident tonight is Jessica Delgado and Claudia who didn’t play. That’s where our improvement has been,” Walker said.
Walker said that Delgado, along with fellow returning Marisa Carrillo, are key parts of the new system of play he envisions for this team. The volleyball team will host Pasadena City College today at 6 p.m. in the women’s gymnasium.