The article below originally appeared in the San Mateo Daily Journal and is being reprinted with permission.
The College of San Mateo women’s volleyball team took its first step towards a return trip to the 3C4A state finals, sweeping visiting Sacramento City College, 3-0, in Saturday’s playoff opener.
Olivia Harrison, who was named one of two her state players of the week last week, led the Lady Bulldogs with 12 kills and five blocks in the 26-24, 25-18, 25-18 playoff victory. Madison Low had four service aces, propelling San Mateo to a 7-1 lead to begin the third set. The Panthers never came closer than five points after that. Emeli Muagututia had three aces. Aniyah Hall had nine kills. Alexa Rentar gathered 23 digs.
That landed CSM (14-10) in a 6 p.m. region semifinal on Tuesday (Nov. 21) at No. 2 seed Fresno City College (24-4). The result was not available at press time.
San Mateo (14-10) is familiar with the Rams, having played them twice in September, losing both 3-1.
Should the Bulldogs win at Fresno, they would face a likely regional finale at Coast North champion West Valley College on Saturday for a spot in next week’s state tournament at Mt. San Antonio College. CSM does hold a 3-2 win this season over over reigning state champion Feather River College, which defeated the Bulldogs in the 2022 state semifinals.
CSM women’s hoops moves to 6-1
The College of San Mateo women’s basketball team swept all three of its games at the weekend CSM Classic.
In their first 2023-24 season games at College Heights Gym, the Bulldogs (6-1) easily dispatched Santa Barbara City College, 63-48, Hartnell College, 78-55, and College of Marin, 72-56, to run their current winning streak to five games. Their only loss was to East Los Angeles College in a season-opening doubleheader in Riverside.
None of the remaining 12 teams in the Coast Conference has more wins than San Mateo, which is ranked No. 23 in the state coaches poll.
CSM sophomore guard Jayonnah Carter has been averaging nearly 20 points a game to raise her career point total to 499 coming into Wednesday’s 5 p.m. contest with visiting Mission College (2-2) at College Heights.
Carter scored 36 points in the three CSM Classic games. Joslyn Moore led the Bulldogs with 57 points, including 25 against Hartnell.
CSM men fall in pair of close games
It was extremely close both days, but the visitors pulled out victories over the College of San Mateo men’s basketball team at the CSM Classic.
In the first game, Merced clipped CSM, 84-80.
The Bulldogs were tied at 74-all with 1:56 to go. Then the Blue Devils connected on a trio of baskets to gain control at 81-74 with 44 seconds left. San Mateo got back within one point on a 3-pointer by Andrew Taylor Bryan-Frey and then a steal and another 3-point shot by Jason Montgomery with 26 seconds remaining, making it 81-80.
Merced increased the advantage on a lay-up by Robert Salmon and the Bulldogs failed on their last trio of 3-point attempts.
Bryan-Frey led CSM with 17 points and seven rebounds. Kiahn Nice and Montgomery each had 15 points.
In the second game, Cuesta got past the Bulldogs, 67-64. The teams exchanged baskets down the stretch as the Bulldogs failed to close a three-point gap as it went from 59-56 to a 67-64 final over the last four minutes. Nice, a sophomore, led San Mateo with 14 points and Bryan-Frey had 12.
Up next, Foothill (2-2) visits CSM (2-4) Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Owls split their two games at the CSM Classic, beating Cuesta 84-70, and losing to Merced, 85-73.
