Fakalata Express thunders through Orange Coast as ARC advances in a 4-set win

Updated Records: American River (24-4) v. Orange Coast (21-6)
Orange Coast is eliminated and finishes in a tie for 5th place at state
Semifinals, Saturday, 5 p.m.--N3 American River v. winner of SJ Delta/Canyons quarterfinal, 5 p.m.

(FRESNO) -- Last year, Awelina Fakalata impressed the women's volleyball world with her all-around play for American River College and was an All-State Tournament selection. On Friday as a seasoned sophomore and Second Team All-American, "The Fakalata Express" put on another clinic in blasting 22 kills and adding 19 digs to lead the North #3-seeded Beavers past South #2 Orange Coast, 25-19, 25-21, 17-25, 25-15, in the quarterfinals of the CCCAA State Championships.

American River becomes the third North team to advance to Saturday's semifinals, joining San Mateo and Feather River. North #1 seed San Joaquin Delta is playing South #4 College of the Canyons tonight in the last quarterfinal. The Beavers stretched a current win streak to 11 matches.

Fakalata's play was aided by the blocking of Sadie White (six blocks, seven kills) and Shanaley Iakopo (five blocks, four kills), the defense of Aubrey Miller (27 digs), the serving of Margaret O'Brien (three aces plus 20 assists and 14 digs), and nine kills by Mia Santos. 

Orange Coast had a number of scoring runs throughout the match and was paced by the front row play of Brisa Zapata-Reaves with 11 kills and 16 digs and Natalia Brandlin, who was spectacular on 10 kills (hit .500) and seven blocks (three solos). All-State MB Paige Cutwright added five kills and six blocks while Emily Payne contibuted a team-high 20 digs.

Tied 7-7 in the final set, O'Brien served ARC into a key lead with two aces in a 5-0 serving bonanza. Kylie Matthews then served another 5-0 run and Fakalata unloaded an explosive swing that gave ARC a commanding 20-11 lead. A Cutwright kill cut it to 21-15 before Santos landed a pair of kills and Aurora Meneghetti aced on match point.

"We worked all week on transition offense, and I think we performed that really well in the final set," said American River head coach Carson Lowden, who has directed the Beavers to their fourth straight trip to the state tourney. "We were able to defend OCC's offense and convert their attacks into points."

On Fakalata, Lowden said: "I think everyone overlooks just how good a serve/receive passer and defender that Awelina is as an all-around player. Her defensive play was exceptional tonight against a really good Orange Coast offensive attack. Our middles did a good job of blocking their pins and and that made a difference in the fourth set as well."

In the third set, Orange Coast played its best volleyball as Cutwright landed a kill for an 8-3 lead. ARC went on a 6-0 run, including a pair of kills by White, to grab a 10-9 advantage. At that point, the Pirates scored a kill by Zapata-Reaves and Cutwright served a 5-0 run. A sideout later and Grace Holmgren served on 3 straight Pirates before Zapata-Reaves twirled an ace that gave OC a 20-12 lead. The Beavers came back to slice it to 20-15, but three different Orange Coast players scored kills and Cutwright made a solo block for a set #3 victory. 

During the second set, OCC kept it close, trailing 15-14 and then 19-17 after an ace by Leah Thibault. American River opened up a 2-0 sets lead with back-to-back combined blocks, both involving Iakopo to cap a 4-point win. 

In the opening set, American River bolted to a 12-5 lead on a block by Matthews and Meneghetti. Orange Coast would slice it to 18-16 on a kill by Zapata-Reaves. Fakalata, a 6-foot talent at outside hitter, blasted one of her 10 kills in the set then got rewarded with an ace on a out-of-rotation by Orange Coast that made it 21-17. The Beavers would close out the set on another Fakalata floored point. 

Release by Robert Lewis, CCCWVCA/CCCAA Championship SID