Comets Split Day Two at LA Mission Tournament

Los Angeles, CA (8/23/2025) -- One day after opening the season with two dominant sweeps, the Palomar College women's volleyball team faced its first real adversity. The Comets dropped their morning match to host LA Mission College in straight sets, but showed grit in bouncing back with a convincing 3–0 sweep over El Camino College to finish the day even.

Against LA Mission, the Comets found themselves on the wrong end of the momentum from the opening serve. The Eagles defended their home court with a steady offense and timely blocks, handing Palomar a 25–20, 25–20, 25–12 defeat.

Sophomore Teiora Tinoisamoa led the Comet attack with nine kills, while Emma Bambe added five kills and six digs. Setter Caden Pinto tallied 14 assists and matched her total with 14 digs, showing resilience on both sides of the ball. Freshman Kate Johnson contributed three kills and an ace, and libero Kiana Merrill finished with six digs. Despite flashes of strong play, Palomar's .021 team hitting percentage highlighted the uphill battle against a sharp LA Mission squad.

If the loss was a stumble, the evening match was a reminder of how dangerous Palomar can be when clicking. The Comets swept El Camino with ease, 25–15, 25–12, 25–10, showcasing a fast-paced attack and a disciplined defense.

Freshman Reese Maffitt took command at the net with nine kills on .348 hitting to go along with 11 digs and three service aces. Bambe bounced back with seven kills and a team-high 13 digs, while Johnson chipped in five kills on .333 efficiency. Pinto dished out 22 assists and added 10 digs in another all-around performance, and Tinoisamoa hit .400 with two kills and three block assists.

The Comets also dominated the service line, finishing with 11 aces, including three each from Bambe and Maffit. Merrill patrolled the back row with a match-high 12 digs, keeping El Camino from finding a rhythm.

After two days of play, Palomar stands at 3–1 overall. The weekend has already given the Comets an early identity: a team powered by a versatile freshman class, capable of bouncing back quickly and dictating play with serving and defense.

Palomar will look to carry that resilience forward as they look forward to their home opener against Golden West College on Wednesday night.