No. 16 Long Beach Women's Volleyball Represents on All-SCC List, Miller Tabbed SCC-South MVP

From left to right: Sarah Miller, Valeria Payan, Jessica Kaeka, Jordan Diaz, MaryJo McBride, Breana Torres.
From left to right: Sarah Miller, Valeria Payan, Jessica Kaeka, Jordan Diaz, MaryJo McBride, Breana Torres.
November 21, 2016

It was recently announced by the South Coast Conference (SCC) that six Long Beach City College women's volleyball players earned All-Conference recognition at the conclusion of the regular season. Sophomore outside Sarah Miller (Long Beach, CA) highlights the Vikings with her Most Valuable Player nod after her first and final season with the squad. Freshman setter Mary McBride (Paradise Valley, AZ) and sophomore outside Jessica Kaeka (Long Beach, CA) earned First-Team All-Conference recognition, while freshman libero Jordan Diaz (La Habra, CA), freshman outside Breana Torres (Long Beach, CA), and freshman middle Valeria Payan (Pacoima, CA) hauled in Second-Team All-Conference accolades.

Miller paced the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) SCC-South in every major category for an outside hitter proving her utter dominance on the hardwood. In 19 matches and 66 sets, Miller ranks tops in kills-per-set (4.89), kills (323), and hitting percentage (.342). She has recorded double-digit kills in all but three contests and has topped 20 kills seven times. Miller has proven to display all-around talent by flashing defensive prowess as well. She ranks first in digs-per-set with a mark of 3.53 and second in total digs (233). She has earned 20 digs in a match three times on the season and has recorded six or more digs in every match but one.

McBride was the soul of the offense and the mechanism that kept the offense flowing by acting as the most potent setter in the SCC. She participated in every contest but one and was dynamic in each match. In 21 matches, McBride reached the 40+ assist mark 11 times on the season while not falling below 10 assists on the year. She earned a mark of 10.63 assists-per-set which ranked atop the SCC. She surprised opposing teams with a dump shot on multiple occasion to earn 45 kills on the season as well.

Kaeka reels in first-team recognition after being a staple for Long Beach on the outside for the entire season. Kaeka ranks in the top-five in numerous categories that stretch from offense to defense. She lands third in hitting percentage (.287), fourth in digs-per-set (3.08), fifth in kills-per-set (2.69), fifth in digs (219), and fifth in total kills (191) in the SCC. Kaeka played in 21 matches and recorded a kill in all but one match while notching at least five digs in every contest but one.

After participating in 22 matches, Torres earned second-team recognition after performing at a high level throughout the duration of the regular season. She was consistent as ever by recording 167 kills to earn a solid 2.29 kills-per-set mark, which ranked seventh in the SCC. Torres reached double-digit kills in five games with a season-high 15 kills coming in two contests – one in a straight-set sweep against Imperial Valley and a 3-2 loss to El Camino.

Diaz earns second-team laurels in her inaugural season with the Vikings by being deemed irreplaceable for Long Beach's defensive initiatives. She has manned a backline that has led to 231 digs on the season which ranks fourth in the SCC. Furthermore, she has chipped in on the assists mark by averaging .049 assists-per-set which is fifth in the SCC. Diaz has earned double-digit digs in 13 contests that includes a four-match streak with 10+ digs. She earned a career-high 18 digs in a three-set victory over San Diego Mesa on October 5.

Rounding out the accolades is Payan who earned second-team recognition. While battling through injury in the entire season, Payan still made her presence known conference wide by tallying a total of 91 kills to earn a 1.52 kills-per-set ratio in 16 matches. She earned double-digit kills once on the season and boasts a .256 hitting percentage.