Vialpando and Wells Named OEC Most Valuable Pair

Riverside City College's Marissa Vialpando and Lauren Wells were named the most valuable players of women's beach volleyball in the Orange Empire Conference after capturing the conference's pairs title in Huntington Beach last week.

Vialpando and Wells defeated Irvine Valley's team of Taira Ka'awaloa and Lucee Fitzgerald in the final at the Newland Street Courts. 

The duo also helped RCC finish third in the conference standings and make the regional playoffs. The top three teams from the conference - Cypress, Golden West and Riverside - moved on.

Nancy Welliver of Cypress and Bill Lawler of Golden West were named the conference's co-coaches of the year after the Chargers and Rustlers shared the conference title.

Each team finished with a record of 6-1. Golden West knocked off Cypress in one of the final matches of the regular season to earn a share of the title.

Golden West had two teams named to the conference first team. The pairs of Jasmine Gonzalez and Kate Stanjevich and Baileigh Graham and Amanda Sosa earned honors.

Also earning all-conference honors were the Cypress pair of Paulina Akiona and Rockelle Gholson, IVC's pair of Ka'awaloa and Fitzgerald, the Fullerton duo of Leslie Andros and Charity Dennis and the Santa Ana pair of Viridiana Serrano and Mikelle Taylor.

The full all-conference teams are listed below.

2017 Orange Empire Conference Women's Beach Volleyball Awards

MVP Team

Marissa Vialpando/Lauren Wells - Riverside

Co-Coaches of the Year

Nancy Welliver - Cypress

Bill Lawler - Golden West

1st Team all-OEC

Paulina Akiona/Rockelle Gholson - Cypress  Leslie Andros/Charity Dennis - Fullerton Lucee Fitzgerald/Taira Ka'awaloa - Irvine Valley Jadelyn Forgiarini/Megan Ritchie - Orange Coast Jasmine Gonzalez/Kate Stanjevich - Golden West Baileigh Graham/Amanda Sosa - Golden West Viridiana Serrano/Mikelle Taylor - Santa Ana

Second Team all-OEC

Ashleigh Atsaros/Erica Cantley - Golden West Alissa Blevins/ Ally Sassman - Irvine Valley Paige Buchanan/Samantha Madrid - Cypress Brianna Johnson/Emily Witz - Cypress Sierra Lim/Measha Lindstrand - Orange Coast Jacqueline Millerd/Brittany Tuliau - Irvine Valley Kassandra Murillo/Haylie Slater - Santa Ana Huafa Saulala/Marcella Rodriquez - Riverside