Press Releases
Rustlers take 2nd Place in State Volleyball Tournament
Dec 2, 2007
CCCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship
Day 3-at Fresno Pacific University
State 2-El Camino d. State 3-Golden West
(3-2) 30-24, 29-31, 21-30, 30-22, 18-16
Records: El Camino 31-2, Golden West 23-5
1-game playoff: El Camino d. Golden West, 30-26
El Camino wins state championship, Golden West 2nd place
In one of the most improbable finishes in Elite Eight history, El Camino College became the first team to win a state title by winning two matches on the final day plus a 1-game playoff that decided the title.
The Warriors captured their first title since 1983 when its current coach LeValley Pattison was the Most Valuable Player of that tournament. Pattison is the first person to win a state title in community college volleyball as a player and a head coach. It’s also El Camino’s third state title overall in the sport (winning also in 1981).
The one-game playoff to decide the title in the double-elimination tournament happened for only the second time in tourney history. The last was in 1995 when Golden West lost to Long Beach in four games, then won a 1-game playoff for the championship.
In this playoff decider, tourney MVP and El Camino setter Sam Taylor made 10 assists, four digs, and two block assists. El Camino trailed as much as 19-14 before rallying with a 16-7 scoring run to clinch the title. Marcella Hernandez dropped in a kill at the net for the game and championship winning point. The lead changed hands five times but after Golden West took a 26-25 lead, El Camino would score the game’s final five points.
In the 5-game thriller to set up the playoff, Lauren Simmons scored 22 kills and Taylor had 57 assists, 19 digs and six blocks. Amrita Tuladhar sparked the team with 12 kills and five blocks, while Kerry O’Brien scored 14 kills. Libero Karina Woehrstein added 22 digs. She had eight more in the one-game playoff, many of them spectacular defensive saves.
For Golden West, Taylor Cook was phenomenal with a tourney record of 12 combined blocks (two solos) and 15 kills. Lindsay Helberg added 23 kills and setter Jana-Lee Mays made 67 assists. Stephanie Gay made 28 digs and Leslie Ray had 21 digs.
El Camino, South Coast Conference champions, ended a winning run by Orange Empire Conference teams of 14 consecutive state titles. South region teams have won all 31 state tournaments going back to 1977.
The Warriors made it through a morning elimination match, sweeping Fullerton, and ended up playing nine games in an exhausting but fruitful day of volleyball.
In the five-gamer, Golden West was serving for championship point in that fifth game after an ace by Gay made it 16-15. El Camino’s Ashley Hardy landed a kill just inside the fair bounds line to tie it, then Simmons scored a kill for a 17-16 lead. Hardy and Tuladhar followed by combining for a match-winning block. The Rustlers went from nearly winning their 18th state title and first since 2004 to being forced into a one-game, winner take all game.
Both teams had frequent long rallies as points became harder and harder for each squad to score.
Golden West is state runner-up after missing the tournament in 2005 and 2006. The Rustlers accomplished that feat under first-year head coach Rick McLaughlin.
Golden West grabbed three All-Tournament spots with Cook, Mays and opposite Danielle Heisler.
Rustlers Start Day 3 At The Top of Their Game
Dec 1, 2007
CCCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship
Day 2-at Fresno Pacific University
Match No. 11
State 3-Golden West d. State 2-El Camino,
(3-1) 30-21, 13-30, 30-25, 30-24
Records: Golden West 23-4, El Camino 29-2
They’re baaaaaack. The Rustlers of Golden West College have put themselves in a golden position for an 18th state title by upsetting El Camino in four games in this non-elimination match.
Golden West advances to Sunday’s championship final, a round in which the program has never lost in. The Huntington Beach college will play the winner of Sunday morning’s El Camino v. either Fullerton of Sacramento City (playing Saturday night in an elimination match) contest at 1 p.m.
For the Warriors, they saw an impressive 28-match winning streak stopped. Earlier this year, El Camino defeated Golden West, 3-1, in a non-conference match.
The South Coast champions from Torrance thought things were going their way after rebounding from a first game loss to win game two handily, 30-13. Golden West, however, shook off the poor game by hitting well in taking games 3 and 4 for the match.
Overall, Golden West hit a sharp .260 overall, but an even better .356 in the final two games with just seven attack errors in the pair. MVP-candidate Danielle Heisler scored 19 kills (.361) to lead the hit parade, followed by Ann Lynn with 14 kills (.263) and Taylor Cook with 10 (.381). Cook, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker, dominated the net with eight blocks (seven assisted) as the team recorded 10 blocks overall.
Setter Jana-Lee Mays had her usual consistent effort with 56 assists, 10 digs, and four block assists. Leslie Ray (14 digs), Stephanie Gay (13), and Lynn (10) all joined Mays in double-digit defensive numbers.
For El Camino, Kerry O’Brien led the way 16 kills and libero Karina Woehrstein added 24 digs. Lauren Simmons tallied 14 kills and 10 digs. Marcella Hernandez chalked 10 kills with four blocks. Setter Sam Taylor dished out 47 assists and had six kills.
Comments from Golden West Head Coach Rick McLaughlin:
“We’re getting better at making the adjustments. Our team is learning match by match how to win. Earlier in the year, the players didn’t know how to react to tough situations. El Camino is the type of team that is going to make it difficult for you, especially when you’re down, but tonight we adjusted better to offset its attack. Our opposite (Heisler) is having a great tournament. Our setter is as good as there is in the state. And Cook is another player who keeps coming through with big plays.”
Comments from Golden West setter Jana-Lee Mays:
“We worked on having the drive to win. It took a lot for us to learn it, but now we got it, and we just want to continue winning. We came here determined to prove we’re good enough to be here.”
Golden West Advance in 5
Dec 1, 2007
CCCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship
Day 2-at Fresno Pacific University
Match No. 7
State 3-Golden West d. State 13-San Joaquin Delta,
(3-2) 29-31, 28-30, 30-25, 30-21, 17-15
Records: Golden West 22-4, SJ Delta 21-8
Down two games to none, Golden West appeared to be on its way to an upset loss against the lowest ranked team remaining at the Elite Eight—No. 13 San Joaquin Delta.
Instead, the Rustlers reminded everyone why they are among the state’s top three ranked teams. Golden West stormed back with wins in games 4 and 5, then fell behind 11-5 in the decisive fifth game. But again, Golden West rallied with a Taylor Cook kill to tie it 12-12.
Delta jumped ahead 14-12 thanks to a quick flick kill by setter Stephanie Williamson. Golden West wouldn’t quit as middle blocker Morgan McCloskey went into hero mode with a solo block and two shared blocks with Danielle Heisler. The blocking frenzy combined with Heisler’s match point ace capped the comeback, non-elimination victory.
Heisler finished with a match-high 20 kills, while GWC teammate Ann Lyn scored 16 kills and totaled 15 digs. Setter Jana-Lee Mays finished with 68 assists and five aces. Taylor Cook hit .591 for 14 kills and Leslie Ray also slammed down 14 kills with 13 digs. McCloskey, a 6-foot sophomore, only had four blocks overall, but picked the perfect spot to make the big plays.
Delta was paced by Williamson, who helped control the early action and finished with 52 assists, four kills, 13 digs and six block assists. Alisha Thomas scored 18 kills (also six block assists). Ashley Davidson added 16 kills and Megan Heine had a double-double with 15 kills and 11 digs. Geneya Terlouw led everybody with 24 digs. Jessica Carter tacked on nine kills, three aces and 12 digs.
Despite Golden West’s size advantage, it was Delta that out blocked the Rustlers overall in team blocks, 9-8.
The Mustangs loss meant they would play Fullerton in a 1 p.m. elimination match Saturday. Golden West assured itself at least a third place finish and a spot in Sunday’s final day. The Rustlers face-off with No. 2-ranked El Camino in a non-elimination match at 4 p.m.
Golden West Advances in the Winners Bracket
Nov 30, 2007
CCCAA 2007 Women’s Volleyball Championship
Day 1-at Fresno Pacific University
Match No. 1
State 3-Golden West d. State 7-Santa Rosa, (3-0) 30-21, 30-28, 30-27
Records: Golden West 21-4, Santa Rosa 24-4
Recap: After a two-year absence from the state tournament, Golden West College returns to the Elite Eight under first-year coach Rick McLaughlin. Between 1993-2004, the Rustlers won 12 straight state titles under current GWC athletic director and 2007 California Community College Women’s Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee Albert Gasparian. Golden West, ranked No. 3 in the state, looked impressive in a tourney-opening sweep over the North’s No. 2 seed Santa Rosa Junior College.
Danielle Heisler led the way for the Rustlers with 13 kills and 10 digs, while Taylor Cook was strong in the middle with eight kills and five blocks. Setter Jana-Lee Mays tallied 16 of her 41 assists in the first game alone. Libero Stephanie Gay added 15 digs and Ann Lynn picked up nine kills and three aces.
For state 7th-ranked Santa Rosa, second place finishers in the Big 8 Conference, Gina Sbragia scored nine kills and Krista Mattos had a match-high 17 digs.
In a pivotal second game, Santa Rosa led 18-17 before it was tied 27-27. At that point, Lindsay Helberg (eight kills overall) spiked down a kill as Golden West went on take the game and control the match momentum.
The Rustlers and Fullerton both advanced to the ’07 state tourney out of the Orange Empire Conference, which surprisingly saw its conference champion Irvine Valley eliminated by College of the Canyons in the SoCal Regionals second round. Golden West finished second and 5th-ranked Fullerton took third in the powerful league. Orange Coast was the state champion from the OEC in both 2005 and 2006. The last non-OEC school to win a state championship was Cerritos College (South Coast) in 1992.
Comments from Golden West Head Coach Rick McLaughlin:
“We take a lot of pride when we look at our home banner that shows all of the state titles our college won under the greatest coach ever at this level—Albert Gasparian. Our No. 1 goal was to get to this state tournament, and then we’d go from there. We could have played better in that first match, but Santa Rosa didn’t play well either. There were a lot of nerves out there. Our opposite Danielle Heisler seemed to be the player we could go to at anytime during this match. I expect us and Santa Rosa to be better in our next round matches.”
Rustlers will face the 4th seed from the North, Delta College at 10:00am on Saturday.
Rustlers Hit the 99
Nov 24, 2007
Huntington Beach, CA - Golden West advances to the State Championships. The Rustlers will travel up the 99 for the first round games to be played on Friday.
With the win the Rustlers move to 20-4 on the season and remain in the hunt for their 18th State Title.
Tonight's match verse San Diego Mesa ended in four quick games with the Rustlers sending home the Olympians 30-19, 24-30, 30-21, 30-22.
State Seedings and Schedule to Follow.
Golden West Advances to Second Round of Playoffs
Nov 21, 2007
Huntington Beach, CA - The Rustlers advance to the next round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs. Defeating College of the Desert in three straight matches, the Roadrunners had no idea what hit them.
Golden West will host the second round on Saturday, November 24 at 7:00pm as they take on San Diego Mesa.
Admission for playoff games are: Adult $8.00 and Students $5.00.
Golden West College Defeats Saddleback in Straight Games
Nov 2, 2007
Mission Viejo, CA- Saddleback was hoping for something strange and eerie on Halloween night in its volleyball match against Golden West College. But no treats (or tricks) would be found as Golden West rolled in three straight games over the Gauchos, 30-20, 30-13, 30-18.
Golden West dominated the first two games, but Saddleback jumped out to a lead in the third game and maintained a slight lead until the Rustlers caught up and tied the score at 16-16. From there, the passing and digging that gave the Gauchos the early lead quickly vanished and the state’s fourth-ranked Rustlers outscored Saddleback 14-2 to end the match.
Leslie Ray and Ann Lynn each had 12 kills for Golden West while Sarah Martin led Saddleback with seven kills. Saddleback’s Megan Ozurovich was credited with 25 defensive digs while her counterpart, Golden West’s Stephanie Gay, tallied 18 digs. Taylor Cook added four service aces and three blocks for the Rustlers.
Rustlers Sweep the Pirates
Oct 12, 2007
COSTA MESA - Two heavyweights went at it in the Peterson Gym and in the end, it was Golden West Rustlers who delivered the biggest haymakers en route to a three-game knockout over Orange Coast, 30-24, 30-17, 30-23. Five different Rustlers (11-2, 4-1 in the Orange Empire Conference) posted eight or more kills with Danielle Heisler's 15 kills leading the way. All of that firepower was provided without the services of Rustler standout Kassie Faulkner, who was sidelined with a broken thumb. "We didn't play well and Golden West took advantage of it," OCC head coach Chuck Cutenese said. "They (the Rustlers) kept serving strong at us and we weren't able to pass the ball well at all." Jacqi Reed had 11 kills to lead the top-ranked Pirates (10-2, 4-1), but that wasn't enough as sixth-ranked GWC used three 6-foot-1 standouts to overpower the hosts, much to the delight of the noisy Rustler crowd that made their way from Huntington Beach. Trailing 10-8 in Game 1, GWC used several return errors by Coast and went on an 8-1 run for a lead it would not lose. Despite some strong hitting by Jessica Roy (seven kills), OCC got close, but never regained the lead as the Rustlers capped off the opener with five straight points. The OCC mistakes continued as Golden West continued to apply pressure on the Pirates' passing game. A 12-3 run turned a 9-6 Rustler lead into a 21-9 blowout as the guests cruised to a two-game lead in the match. Much like Game 1, OCC jumped out to an early lead in Game 3, only to see the Rustlers go on an 11-4 run to grab hold of things. Lindsay Helberg (10 kills) helped pave the way in the third game with several big hits. Trailing 21-14, OCC used a couple of mistakes by GWC and a nice block by the tandem of Emily Lyon (24 assists) and Roy to cut the deficit to 21-17, forcing the Rustlers to call timeout. That break in the action was all the Rustlers needed as they ended the match with a 9-6 run to close things off. "It was nice to see us come out strong like this," GWC head coach Rick McLaughlin said. "We've been waiting for us to play the way we're capable of playing and tonight we were able to play well. OCC had a tough night, but I know what they can do and I know the next time we see them, we'll be in for a tough matchup."
The Lady Rustlers play next on Wednesday, October 17 as they take on Santa Ana at home at 7:00 PM.
Women’s Volleyball Team Starts off Season Undefeated
Sept 18, 2007
The Golden West Lady Rustlers (3-0) continued their undefeated start to the 2007 campaign. With the combination of seven returning sophomores, who worked extremely hard during the off season, and six very talented freshmen, the Lady Rustler volleyball team should be very competitive this season. Coach Rick McLaughlin is very excited about this year’s group stating that if “we can stay healthy, train hard, and continue to improve throughout the season, we should be right in the mix when the playoffs come around.”
This year’s team will rely on both leadership from a core group of sophomores, but also several very talented freshmen. The middle will be strong with returners Julie Wilson (South Torrance HS), Morgan McCloskey (Ventura HS), and freshman Taylor Cook (Laguna Hills HS) sharing the duties. The outside will be experienced with 2006 kill leader Kassie Faulkner (Canyon HS), Leslie Ray (Long Beach Poly) returning, and new-comer Ann Lynn (Pacifica HS) who will also compete for a starting role. At opposite, Lindsay Helberg ( San Diego State University ) returns for her sophomore year and will share the duties with newcomer Danielle Heisler (Pasco Hernando JC). The libero and back row specialist roles will be shared by returner Briana Council (Pacifica HS) and newcomers Stephanie Gay (Mission Viejo HS) and Alex Risko(Douglas HS). Janalee Mays-Robinson (Canyon HS) returns at the setter position after off-season knee surgery, and she will compete with newcomer Dana Larson (UC Irvine) for the starting spot.
On Friday, September 7, the Lady Rustlers defeated Central Wyoming in the Las Vegas Tournament in Henderson , Nevada in three straight games (30-15, 30-26, 32-30). The team next took on Grossmont JC at Grossmont on Monday, September 10. The Rustlers dominated, winning three straight games once again (30-15, 30-14, and 30-22).
On Wednesday, September 12, the Lady Rustlers defeated San Bernardino Valley 30-22, 30-25, and 30-23. Leading the way offensively, Julie Wilson had 12 kills and Leslie Ray and Kassie Faulkner each added 7 kills apiece as the Rustlers knocked off the host Wolverines in a non-conference match at San Bernandino Valley. Stephanie Gray also added 14 digs for GWC.
The Lady Rustlers play next on Wednesday, September 19 at El Camino College in El Camino , California at 6:00 PM .