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Blue Hat Photography
Blue Hat Photography
Posted: Sep 12, 2025

Falcons regroup to .500 mark, eyeing a statement vs. No. 1 Feather River

Folsom Lake Volleyball tore out of the gates with four straight wins before an illness-plagued stretch tightened the screws, leaving the Falcons at 5–5 through ten preseason matches. Along the way, they stacked signature sweeps, found a go-to rhythm with their pins, and showed the kind of grit that travels in late August gyms.

The opening day at Los Medanos (Aug. 22) set the tone. FLC dispatched the host Mustangs 3–1 (25–17, 21–25, 25–23, 25–14) behind a monster night from Erin Ayers (16 kills, .371) and steady setting by Lola Quintanar (32 assists, 3 aces). Gianna Giordano chipped in 7 kills and 5 aces/points contributions across the net, while libero Ava Pham vacuumed 16 digs as the Falcons pulled away late with a .292 team swing in set four. Two hours later the Falcons doubled down, beating Las Positas 3–1 (25–16, 25–23, 22–25, 25–16). Ayers (15 kills) and Ella Triplett (11 kills, .321; 6 aces) powered the offense; Quintanar (31 assists) kept every hitter fed, and Pham added 12 digs.

The next afternoon in Redding (Aug. 23) was all Falcons. FLC swept Redwoods 3–0 (25–10, 25–22, 25–18) with Ayers (8 kills) and Triplett (9 kills, .250; 3 aces) leading a balanced attack, then blanked Shasta 3–0 (25–19, 25–18, 25–16) as Ayers (11 kills), Tomi Myhre (6 kills), and Quintanar (23 assists) closed out a pristine 4–0 start. Pham's back-row command (34 digs across the twinbill) steadied the floor all day.

The first speed bump arrived at the Solano tri on Aug. 27. After a straight-set loss to College of the Sequoias (17–25, 11–25, 20–25), the Falcons rebounded with their most complete set of the night in a 25–23 third against Solano before falling 1–3 (21–25, 11–25, 25–23, 19–25). Ayers posted 9 kills and 13 digs vs. Solano; Quintanar (19 assists, 19 digs) and Pham (19 digs) shouldered a heavy defensive load in a grinder.

Back home on Sept. 3, the group split a midweek double—dropping a clean 0–3 to Lassen (22–25, 14–25, 23–25) despite Triplett's efficient line (7 kills, .375) and Quintanar's 21 assists, then resetting with a crisp 3–0 of Mendocino (25–22, 25–13, 25–15). Ayers thundered 15 kills (.214) with 18.5 total points; Triplett added 7 kills and 6 aces, and Quintanar distributed 27 assists as the offense clicked back into system.

A taxing Modesto tri (Sept. 5) closed the week, with straight-set defeats to De Anza (21–25, 18–25, 19–25) and Coalinga (26–28, 17–25, 21–25). Even in the losses, Ayers (19 total kills) continued to carry first-contact-tolerant swings, Sydnie Cross chipped 8 kills across the day, and Ginger Scheidt provided timely service runs.

Head coach note: the group's been navigating a tough run of late-August adversity—players trading off sickness (including a few COVID cases) and nagging knocks—yet the competitive backbone has held. "Even though we struggled last week, we've had a good preseason under the adversity of players being sick," the staff emphasized. "We like where our growth is headed."

By the numbers (Aug. 22 – Sept. 5)

  • Record: 5–5 (opened 4–0; five wins in first six matches)

  • Kill leaders: Erin Ayers (team-high kills in 8 of 10 matches); Ella Triplett (career-efficiency night vs. Las Positas, .321, 11 kills)

  • Setting/serve: Lola Quintanar (32, 31, 23, 23, 27 assists in wins; 11 combined aces during the span)

  • Back row: Ava Pham multiple 16+ dig outings; Giordano/Scheidt/Triplett combined for double-digit aces in key wins

  • Signature wins: 3–0 at Redwoods and Shasta; 3–1 over host Los Medanos and Las Positas

What's next

Health trending up, the Falcons eye a midweek twinbill as a springboard before a marquee test against state No. 1 Feather River 9/12. With first-ball contact stabilizing and Ayers/Triplett in rhythm—and Pham and Quintanar anchoring the spine—FLC has the pieces to turn an adversity-filled preseason into momentum when it counts.