By Wes McCurtis
After a 3-0 sweep of Golden West on Friday night (25-16, 26-24, 25-20) the Cypress College women's volleyball team (15-1, 8-0 OEC) secured sole possession of first place in the Orange Empire Conference through the first round of games.
The Chargers have been a force in the OEC this season, sweeping 6-of-8 opponents and all 4 opponents on their home court. Coach Welliver attributes the team's success this season to their balanced attack, positive attitude, and team chemistry.
Sophomore leaders and 2015 All-OEC First Team selections, Rockelle Gholson and Emily Witz, have been consistent all season. Gholson leads the team with 171 kills and 40 blocks. Witz leads the team with 205 digs and 3.66 digs per set.
Some new faces for the Chargers have also made their presence felt this season. Sophomore transfer Samantha Martinez has proven to be one of the top setters in the state. Martinez leads the Chargers with 658 assists and has the second highest assist per set average in the state (11.75). Freshman middle blocker Samantha Madrid has emerged as an additional weapon for the Chargers this season. Madrid leads the state with a .474 hitting percentage, converting on 165 of her 306 attacks. She also leads the Chargers with 3.30 kills per set and is second on the team in blocks with 26 on the year.
The Cypress College women's volleyball team will begin the second round of Orange Empire Conference play on Wednesday, October 19th when they host Santa Ana at 6:00pm.
Stay connected with the Chargers through social media. Follow Cypress College Athletics on Twitter @CypressChargers. Check in with the Chargers on Facebook/CypressChargers and on Instagram @CypressChargers.
