Beach Volleyball: Roadrunners open 2019 with wins over SAC, SMC

The 2019 women's beach volleyball season got off to a great start for Rio Hondo College head coach Teddi Esko and the Roadrunners. Her squad went a perfect 2-0 on opening day, earning identical 4-1 wins over Santa Ana College and Santa Monica College on Friday at the Newland Volleyball Courts in Huntington Beach.

The No. 3 team of Vania Maciel and Evelyn Alferez won both their doubles matches, getting a 21-11, 22-20 victory over the Santa Ana duo of Karissa Mumford/Erisa Pooee and a 21-11, 15-21, 15-5 win over Kelsey Molle/Madison Reiner of Santa Monica.

In their opening match of the day against the Santa Ana, Rio Hondo earned wins at No. 1, No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5 doubles. Gabrielle Cruz and Janine Coria at No. 1 set the tone with their 21-12, 21-14 victory. Nicole Vasquez and Mia Ponce at No. 5 had the easiest time, winning 21-3, 21-7.

In the win over Santa Monica, Rio Hondo won two of three matches while getting wins by forfeit at No. 4 and No. 5 doubles. Stephanie Perez and Mara Sanchez got their first win of the day at No. 2, beating Brooke Michaels/Maria Marranaga of SMC by scores of 19-21, 21-12, 20-18.

Complete results from both matches are below. Rio Hondo, now 2-0 overall, returns to action on Wednesday (Feb. 20) at 3 p.m. to take on Orange Coast College in Huntington Beach.