Cuesta's newest sport Beach Volleyball fell to 0-3 with a loss to visiting Hartnell, 4-1, at Cal Poly's Swanson Family Beach Complex.  The Cougars continued to show improvement as they faced a second full day of competition.  The Cougars #4 pair of Madelyn Freeman (pict- #6) and Amelie Lo Jocano (pict- #9) have been setting the pace for Cuesta by reaching early program milestones.  They were the first pairing to win a set, in the Cougars' second match against El Camino, and today won the program's first match with a 2-1 (21-14, 19-21, 15-11) win over the Panthers' Jordyn Pascoe and Nadine Thompson.  All of Cuesta's Sand Spikers have made improvements as they transition away from hardwood to sand.  2023 Women's Volleyball Captain and all-Western State Conference selection Taylor Vannest and her partner Naima Omega pushed for another victory but fell short at #2.  Vannest and Omega piled up 35 points in the two-set match, 21-18, 21-17, after recording only 29 points in their season-opening doubleheader.

The Cougars next match is a doubleheader at Golden West College in Garden Grove next Friday.  The Sand Spikers will compete against the host Rustlers and fellow perennial playoff team Mt San Antonio.