LBCC defeats Golden West to move on to Team State Championships 

The LBCC Vikings beach volleyball team edged out a 3-2 victory over Golden West in the SoCal Regionals to propel them into the fight for the Team State Championships tournament. 

The closeness in skill between the teams was clear throughout the match, with 4 of the 5 courts going to a third set.

“It really took everyone today. We know that Golden West is a really good program, but we just said don’t worry about what’s going on in the other courts, just focus on your courts,” head coach Tyler Jackson said. 

Three of the court wins for the Vikings were decided in the third set, showing the grit and stamina the team has developed throughout the season. 

“At first, none of us had our beach legs, no one was really bouncing out of the sand and I feel like now, we all have our shots down,” beach volleyball player Kyla Jones said. 

Players also credited the sense of sisterhood that has been fostered in the team with greatly helping their success. 

“I feel like all of us are getting stronger the more we win, especially as partners since there’s only two people on the court,” player Karla Aguirre said. “It’s mentally challenging, but I feel like we always figure it out in the end, even if we’re losing.” 

Jackson also noted how a win against this Golden West team, who came into the match on a 16 game win streak, builds huge momentum for the squad going into the playoffs. 

“Honestly, I think the way we’ve been playing all season, preseason and in conference has helped build our confidence,” Jackson said. 

The squad’s entrance into the Team State Championships marks the first time LBCC has qualified for the tournament since 2019. 

“I feel like as a team, we’re even capable of winning state,” Aguirre said. “We’re on a streak, so I think we can keep it going.” 

Despite the 13 game win streak the team is currently on, some of the players still see areas in which improvements can be made. 

“I think on defense we need to stay locked in, sometimes we’ll get tired and play kinda loose,” Jones said. 

LBCC will play its first Team State Championships match on May 7 against an unknown opponent at Mt San Antonio.