PC's Niu/Ramos finish in top 16 of state pairings tournament

SARATOGA (5-11-18) (5-12-18) -- The Palomar duo of Kianna Niu and Noemi Ramos battled through pool play on Friday and finished in the Top 16 in the state on Saturday in the California Community College Athletic Association Beach Volleyball Pairs Championships at West Valley College.

Niu, a sophomore from Valley View High School in Moreno Valley playing in the state tournament for the second time, and Ramos, a freshman out of Orange Glen High School, dropped their opening match in pool play to Long Beach City College's Jessica Kaeka / Brooklin Mize 21-16, 21-14 but bounced back to win their two remaining pool matches to move on to Saturday.

They moved on by finishing second in their pool.

In their second match in pool play, Niu Ramos turned back Alina Fernandez /  Kendra Lis from state team champion Cabrillo College 21-17, 21-12, and in their third match they came from behind to defeat Santa Ana's Viridiana Serrano / Mikelle Taylor 16-21, 21-18, 15-13.

On Saturday, coach Karl Seiler's Palomar duo was eliminated by Sierra's Sara Schell / Savanah Schroeder 21-16, 23-21.

Megan Ramseyer and Tiarra Ka'awaloa from Irvine Valley won the state pairs championship with a 22-20, 21-18 victory over Long Beach's Josannah Vazquez / Sierra Davis in the finals.

Cabrillo, the Northern California champion swept defending state champion MiraCosta 3-0 for the CCCAA State team championship.