Spires and Bambe Advance to Round of 16 at 3C2A State Championships

LONG BEACH, CA (5/9/2025) -- Palomar's Janell Spires and Emma Bambe delivered a strong showing on Day One of the 3C2A State Championships, going 3-0 in pool play and advancing to the Round of 16 in Saturday's single-elimination bracket. The All-Conference duo dropped just one set all day and will face Feather River College at 10 a.m. in the opening round.

Spires and Bambe opened with a 21-14, 21-17 win over Curry/Moncada (Long Beach City), then rallied from a set down to defeat Griffiths/Nielsen (El Camino) 16-21, 26-24, 15-10. They capped pool play with a steady 21-15, 21-13 victory over Smith/Timm (Monterey Peninsula) to finish undefeated.

Winners of four straight matches, the Comets' top pair is gaining momentum at the right time. With a win in the Round of 16, Spires and Bambe could face familiar PCAC opponents in the quarterfinals as the bracket tightens and the stakes rise.

The remainder of the tournament will be single elimination, with the state title on the line this weekend at Long Beach City College.