Carmen Stratton completed her first full season as head coach of the women’s volleyball program. Unfortunately for Stratton, she faced an uphill battle from the time she first stepped onto campus as the gymnasium floor suffered water damage and was unusable for the entire season. That meant Stratton and the Gauchos would have to scramble to find gym facilities to practice in and would have to play all of its matches on the road or at neutral sites.
The lack of a home court did not help the Gauchos’ cause but they jumped out to a strong start on the season by winning three of their first five matches. When conference play began, Saddleback split its first two matches to hold a 4-3 overall record and earn some statewide recognition in the polls. But the next few weeks proved too tough on the Gauchos and the ladies dropped 11 straight matches, including a narrow 5-game defeat at Riverside.
The season did end on a high note in a match postponed several weeks due to unhealthy air quality caused by the wildfires in October. Without a gym available, Saddleback was forced to travel to play Santa Ana twice in the Lady Dons’ home facility. The final match of the season against Santa Ana was scheduled on the last available date, and only six Saddleback players were available. But those six players performed admirably and defeated Santa Ana in four games.
Only sophomore outside hitter Sarah Martin earned all-conference status, picking up Honorable Mention honors. She led the team in kills (213) and was second on the team in defensive digs (382). Martin earned second-team all-conference honors last year as a freshman.