Cuesta Women's Volleyball hosted its annual scrimmage tournament last Saturday but shall get their first taste of official action this Friday on the Cuesta campus. The Cougars are hosting a mini tournament with unranked foes Reedley and Glendale.  The North-South battle will begin at Noon as the Cougars officially open their 2023 season against the Reedley Tigers.  The Tigers, win or lose, will remain on the court to face the Glendale Vaqueros at 2 PM. The Cougars, after a one-game rest, return to the floor at 4 PM for a Western State Conference Interdivision set against the Vaqueros to close the tournament.

The Cougars, a 2021 playoff team, stumbled below .500 last season, but are poised to make another playoff run in 2023.  The visiting Tigers and Vaqueros should help them kick-off the campaign with a strong first step.  Both teams have finished last in their respective conferences after two of their last three full seasons. Last year, after reaching the playoffs in 2022, the Cougars finished 5th in the Western State Conference, which was behind four playoff teams, including three regional finalists.  Last season, the Cougars bested Glendale in a four-set match (25-23, 25-17, 19-25, 25-15), but Friday marks their first official game against the Tigers since September1, 2017.  The Tigers won that "catfight" against the Cougars in a five-set match (25-20, 16-25, 19-25, 25-14, 15-13).  

Cuesta's roster boasts five returners back from the 2022 campaign, including all-Western State Conference Middle Blocker Taylor Vannest and Libero Summer Sebok, who's 281 Digs landed her the 10th spot on the Cougars' all-time list.