Beach Volleyball: Roadrunners gain valuable experience in trio of losses

The final scoresheets from Saturday's matches will show the Rio Hondo College women's beach volleyball team suffered three losses at Warm Waters Beach in Carlsbad. But according to head coach Teddi Esko, the Roadrunners gained valuable experience that will help them as the season continues.

We played in the craziest conditions, plus against some of the best competition," said Esko. "It was a great opportunity for our athletes, another day to get better and more prepared for conference."

Rio Hondo opened the day with a 4-1 loss to 2018 state championship runner up MiraCosta College. That was followed by a 5-0 defeat by NCAA Division I-level University of Nebraska. The Roadrunners then closed their San Diego trip with a narrow 3-2 loss to 2018 Northern California Regional qualifier West Valley College.

Winners on the day for the Roadrunners included the No. 2 duo of Gabrielle Cruz and Vania Maciel (16-21, 21-17, 15-8) against MiraCosta. In the West Valley match, the No. 3 team of Janine Coria and Evelyn Alferez (22-20, 22-20) as well as the No. 5 duo of Danielle Betancourt and Katherina O'Brien (21-19, 21-18) earned victories.

The Roadrunners suffered their first losses of the season and fell to 5-3 overall. They open South Coast Conference play on Friday (Mar. 8) at 9 a.m. against Long Beach City College at Granada Beach.

Complete results below:

MiraCosta 4, Rio Hondo 1
1's MCC won 21-10, 21-19 (S. Perez/M.Sanchez)
2's RHC won 16-21, 21-17, 15-8 (G.Cruz/V.Maciel)
3's MCC won 21-13, 21-14 (J.Coria/E.Alferez)
4's MCC won 23-21, 21-11 (D.Perez/F.Moreno)
5's MCC won 21-12, 14-21, 15-12 (A.Garcia/A.Lopez)

Nebraska 5, Rio Hondo 0
1's won  NEB 21-7, 21-9 (V.Maciel/G.Cruz)
2's won NEB 21-4, 21-11 (S.Perez/M.Sanchez)
3's won NEB 21-18, 21-8 (J.Coria/E.Alferez)
4's won NEB 21-5, 21-9 (D.Perez/F.Moreno)
5's won NEB 21-18, 21-19 (M.Ponce/N.Vasquez)

West Valley 3, Rio Hondo 2
1's WVC won 21-11, 21-12 (G.Cruz/V.Maciel)
2's WVC won 22-20, 18-21, 15-11 (S.Perez/M.Sanchez)
3's RHC won 22-20, 22-20 (J.Coria/E.Alferez)
4's WVC won 21-17, 21-13 (D.Perez/F.Moreno)
5's RHC won 21-19, 21-18 (D.Betancourt/K.O'Brien)