Taft College Sweeps Two-Match Home Slate With Pair of Wins
| Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WES | 25 | 23 | 10 | 17 | 1 |
| TAF | 19 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
| Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIC | 13 | 19 | 14 | 0 |
| TAF | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Coming out of retirement after 5 years and still current athletic director, Coach Kanoe Bandy started where she left off: winning! Taft College earned two home victories in their season opener on Aug. 28, rallying past West Valley College in four sets before sweeping Victor Valley to complete an unbeaten doubleheader. The Cougars overcame an opening-set loss to win the first match 19-25, 25-23, 25-10, 25-17, then closed the day with a 25-13, 25-19, 25-14 victory.
West Valley took the first set of the noon match by six points, but Taft responded in the tightest set of the day. The Cougars secured a 25-23 second-set win to pull even, then seized control with a 15-point victory in the third. A 25-17 result in the fourth completed the turnaround and gave Taft a 3-1 match victory.
Jazzahlei Satele powered the Cougars in the opener with 17 kills on a .311 attack percentage, 22 digs and three service aces. Vienna Perier contributed across the rotation with eight kills, 19 assists, 25 digs and three aces. Jadalynn Satele added eight kills and 12 digs, while Ku'uleimokihana Manaois recorded five kills, two aces, one solo block and one block assist. Taft totaled 47 kills, 42 assists, 10 aces and 85 digs in the four-set win.
The Cougars carried that momentum into the 5 p.m. match against Victor Valley, delivering their most efficient offensive performance of the day. Taft hit .577 with 16 kills in a 25-13 opening-set victory, followed with a 25-19 win in the second and finished the sweep by taking the third 25-14. The Cougars hit .434 for the match, producing 39 kills with only six attack errors, while holding Victor Valley to .035 hitting.
Jazzahlei Satele led the second match with 10 kills on .500 hitting and added 11 digs and two aces. Perier had seven kills on a .545 attack percentage, 16 assists, 17 digs and four aces. Manaois converted six kills at a .750 rate and served two aces, while Shylah Pulu-Valdez strengthened the front-row defense with two solo blocks and three block assists. Jadalynn Satele and Havi Valdez supplied six kills apiece as Taft finished with five total blocks and 10 aces.
Across the doubleheader, Jazzahlei Satele recorded 27 kills, 33 digs and five aces. Perier totaled 15 kills, 35 assists, 42 digs and seven aces, helping Taft finish the two-match slate with 86 kills, 73 assists, 20 aces and 134 digs. The Cougars won six consecutive sets after dropping the first set of the day.
Taft will be on the road for two matches at Cosumnes River College to play Cosumnes River and Shasta College on Wednesday. They will not return home until September 16 for a noon and 5:00 pm start against Ohlone College and Pasadena City College.
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