Rustlers Sweep Riverside on Sophomore Night to Close OEC Play on a High Note

Rustlers Sweep Riverside on Sophomore Night to Close OEC Play on a High Note
November 14, 2025
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HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - It was a night of both celebration and dominance inside the Golden West Gym as the Golden West College women's volleyball team swept Riverside City College, 25-11, 26-24, 25-18, on Friday night in its Orange Empire Conference home finale. The victory capped an fun evening as the program honored its five sophomores, Jalissa Costa, Jenna Zaffino, Cassandra Zoellers, Fabiana Padilla, and Elyse Varipapa for their outstanding contributions to the Rustlers' success over the past two seasons.

With the win, Golden West improved to 17-4 overall and 13-3 in OEC play, continuing its late-season surge and locking in strong postseason momentum.

The Rustlers came out firing in the opening set, hitting .364 while holding Riverside to a -.091 clip to cruise to a 25-11 start. Set two proved far more competitive as the Tigers pushed Golden West deep into extra points, but timely swings from the Rustler offense sealed a clutch 26-24 win. Golden West then closed the match with a steady 25-18 victory, fueled by strong serving and timely defensive stops.

Sophomore standout Jalissa Costa delivered a memorable performance on her special night, tallying 12 kills, a service ace, and nine digs while scoring a match-high 14 points. Fellow sophomore Jenna Zaffino also shined with 10 kills on an efficient .409 hitting percentage, adding seven digs and a block assist.

Setter Cassandra Zoellers orchestrated the offense with 16 assists and two aces, while Meghan Freck contributed 11 assists, an ace, and eight digs. Fabiana Padilla anchored the back row with eight digs and a service ace, and Elyse Varipapa added seven digs in her two-set appearance.

Defensively, the Rustlers racked up 46 digs and six block assists while holding the Tigers to a .103 hitting percentage across the three sets.

Golden West now turns its attention to the postseason, with playoff matchups to be announced in the coming days.