COD Women’s Volleyball Opens 2025 Season with Strong Showing at Eagles Tournament

The College of the Desert Women's Volleyball team (2-2) opened the 2025 campaign with a competitive run at the Eagles Tournament, hosted by Los Angeles Mission College in Sylmar. The Roadrunners battled through four matches, earning two hard-fought wins while pushing the host Eagles to the limit in the championship final.

Day One – Battling the Host & Breaking the Drought
The Roadrunners began the season against undefeated host Los Angeles Mission (4-0) from the Western State Conference-North. COD came out strong, winning the first set, but Mission regrouped to take the next three, handing the Roadrunners a 3-1 defeat (22-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-21).

Sophomore outside hitter Clairie Thomas (La Quinta H.S.) led COD with 18 kills and 21 digs, while freshman setter Juliette Rothe (Xavier College Prep) dished out 32 assists, served up 4 aces, and added 6 kills. Freshman outside hitter Leslie Delgado (Coachella Valley) tallied 10 kills, and libero Meriah Escobedo (Xavier College Prep) chipped in 10 digs. Freshman defensive specialist Nadia Malone (La Quinta H.S.) made her presence felt at the net with 3 solo blocks.

On the consolation side, Desert bounced back in a big way with a 3-1 victory over the Citrus Owls (25-15, 25-21, 22-25, 25-22). The win marked COD's first over the Owls since 1991, snapping a 34-year drought.

Thomas powered the attack with 26 kills, 15 digs, and 4 blocks, while Rothe controlled the offense with 41 assists and 3 aces. Freshman middle blocker Madyson Duran (Rancho Mirage H.S.) added 8 kills and 6 blocks, and Escobedo anchored the defense with 14 digs.

Day Two – New Rivalry & Five-Set Thriller
Day two opened with a first-ever meeting against the El Camino Warriors. After dropping the opening set, COD responded with three straight, earning a 3-1 victory (23-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-19).

Thomas matched her season high with 26 kills and added 14 digs, while Rothe delivered 34 assists and 12 digs. Delgado chipped in 8 kills and 11 digs, and Escobedo collected a team-high 19 digs.

That set up a rematch with the host LA Mission Eagles in the championship final. In what became a true "Battle of the Birds," the Roadrunners pushed Mission to five sets, taking sets one and four before narrowly falling in the deciding frame, 3-2 (21-25, 25-15, 25-16, 23-25, 15-13).

Rothe capped off a strong tournament with 42 assists and 17 digs, while Thomas posted a double-double with 18 kills and 25 digs. Delgado had her best match of the tournament with 20 kills and 14 digs, while Escobedo once again led the defense with 21 digs.

Looking Ahead
The Roadrunners now turn their attention to the Stinger Classic at Fullerton College on August 27, where they will take on the host Hornets and the Moorpark Raiders. COD enters with a 2-2 all-time record against Fullerton, including a win last season, while still seeking its first-ever victory over Moorpark (0-3).

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For additional information, please contact the COD Sports Information Office at 760.423.6641.

Information & Story provided by COD Sports Information. Photo by Michael Leone Photography.