In the sport of volleyball, it part of the game that a defensive specialist and the setter work together to lay out the attack, a role that Cal State Dominguez Hills seniors Lynda Nguyen and Jordan Ramirez have performed over the last three years. What many don't know about the two Bay Area natives is that their friendship goes beyond the first day arriving on campus. Nguyen, a native of Union City on the east side of the bay, and Ramirez, hailing from San Bruno on the peninsula, began their special bond during their days playing for the same club team and have been together ever since.

"Lynda and Jordan have had a significant positive impact on the program not only on the court but off the court since their freshman year," head coach Jennifer Adeva said. "Their coachability, work ethic, character, and team first mentality have been a great example for our younger players. Lynda and Jordan have excellent communication skills not only with each other but with their teammates and coaches, that could stem from their long-lasting friendship off the court. It's been a pleasure to coach them both."
 
Q: From your perspective, talk about how you two first met.
 
Lynda: Jordan and I first met our junior year of high school after trying out for Encore Volleyball Club's 17s Team. After we were both offered spots on the roster, we all gathered as a team and had the opportunity to meet each other formally. Jordan had already been with the club, so I was kind of shy being the newcomer. But my first impression of her was that she was super talented and was very graceful with her sets which is something I haven't really seen before.
 
Jordan: I'll never forget the first time I played with her because I just remember her being very loud and talkative on the court and I loved it.
 
Q: You two have to work together on the volleyball court, did the chemistry between you two click immediately or was it something that had to take time to grow?
 
Both: For the both of us, the chemistry was instant because our personalities naturally clicked from day 1. Since we meshed so well off the court, it made playing together so much more fun. Even as athletes, we both share the same drive and competitive nature which makes playing together so easy. 
 
Q: How did you both choose to attend and play volleyball at CSUDH?
 
Lynda: I committed to CSUDH towards the end of my senior year, which is later than usual, but Jordan was still thinking about it because she had an offer from a school in Boston. This is a funny story because her best friend, Elyssa, was the other libero on our club team, and she was already committed to that same school in Boston. So literally every practice I would try my best to persuade Jordan to come play with me at CSUDH. I remember telling her, "We could be roommates, it'll be so much fun! You'll be close to your family, we're in SoCal with the beaches, the volleyball would be so competitive, and it's going to be great," and behold, she committed to CSUDH. I was so excited and happy when she told me because in that moment, I imagined us moving down to SoCal and tearing up the Torodome together for the next four years.
 
Jordan: Whenever I saw her, she would always try to persuade me to come with her. Knowing that Lynda was going to be there too was the icing on the cake for me, so I committed shortly after her and was really excited that I got to play with her for four more years.
 
Q: How much have you relied on each other to get through college these first three years?
 
Jordan: It's been really nice to have Lynda by my side throughout our college experience. It's definitely comforting knowing that you have someone to lean on and who understands what you're going through. We've been roommates since our freshman year, so we're literally always together and are there for each other whenever we need it.
 
Lynda: Personally, the first couple of years were tough for me so I relied on Jordan and my other roommates to help me get through it. I had some rough days after volleyball practices/games and really needed to talk it out. It was nice having Jordan there to cheer me up, give me perspective, and help me get through the days I did not feel like playing volleyball. It really helped having Jordan as my roommate because she knew who I was before we came to CSUDH and she experienced the same games/practices I did, and she just understood me when I was having a rough time.
 
Q: Last year against Cal State East Bay, you both made a great defensive play that would turn into a Toro point, was there another spectacular rally you worked together to win a point?

 
Jordan: There was one rally that we were both a part of during our last club season that I'll never forget. It was towards the end of the match and Lynda was supposed to rotate to the front row and get subbed out, but just as she was about to, we ran out of subs and she had to play outside hitter for a couple of plays. She got a kill and the whole team and everyone that was watching celebrated after. It was such a fun moment that I'll always remember especially because I was the one that set her up for her very first kill!
 
Lynda: There is this one play that I will literally never forget. So, it goes back to our Encore days and Jordan dug the first ball. And what a lot of teams do now is when a setter gets the first contact, the libero would step in and set up the offense. So Jordan digs the first ball, I then come rushing in to take the next ball (and at this point Jordan is looking at our hitters to see who is in the better position to be set), she's yelling at me to set a '3,' which is to set our middle blocker (the most untraditional thing to do when a non-setter is setting), and I jump set a three from behind the 10 foot line to our middle blocker, she swings, we got the kill, we got the point, and we were ALL going nuts. To this day, we still bring up that play.
 
Q: The San Francisco Bay separates you two, but it doesn't seem to stop that. What are some of the things you like to do together when you are back home?
 
Both: Some things that we like to do together is show each other different food spots or cool views on our sides of the bay. But one thing we always do is go back to our old volleyball club to scrimmage against our club coach's teams.
 
Q: How about when you are in Southern California?
 
Both: Since we live together, it's a lot easier to hang out. On the weekends or when we have some free time, we like to go shopping, go to the beach, or just grab some food. Another thing we like to do is hang out with teammates or go to basketball games and support our fellow student-athletes.
 
Q: Do you two have a tradition before going to your match or practice?
 
Both: We don't have a pregame handshake or anything, but one thing that became an important game day ritual was getting coffee before every match. It's funny because we always make sure that we set enough time aside to get it and order the exact same thing every time. For those of you that wanted to know, we get a Starbucks double shot on ice, white mocha, no classic syrup, sub soy!
 
Q: What is your fondest memory as a Toro so far?
 
Lynda: I have many fond memories as a Toro. I think my top three would be when Jen announced that I was captain, beating Chico State at its place last season, and having a perfect preseason. Being named captain was huge for me because I spent my first two years mainly on the sideline cheering my team on and then was given the opportunity to lead this team. Beating Chico State last year at its place was one of the most fun games I have ever played because Chico was known for their fast offense and everyone looked at us like we were the underdogs going into this match. Being on the road, especially so far north, going into someone else's gym, and just shutting down the team and fans was, and still is, one of the best feelings. Lastly, having a perfect preseason last year displayed our hard work over the summer. Even though our season before was not the greatest, it was great to come back and really show teams what this program and team is really about.
 
Jordan: It's hard to pick just one memory, but one that sticks with me was travelling to Oregon and Washington for pre-season tournaments in my freshman year. I couldn't think of a better way to have kick started my college experience. Being able to travel and bond with the team, along with exploring new places was absolutely unreal.
 
Q: Last spring, you and your fellow students had to quickly adapt to a virtual learning environment. How did that experience help you prepare for the fall semester?
 
Jordan: Moving to a virtual learning environment in the spring definitely helped me prepare for the fall semester because it gave me an idea on what to expect. It allowed me to get more comfortable with this form of learning because I personally was never a fan of taking online classes before.
 
Lynda: For me, I think adapting to virtual learning was more on the easier side for me last spring. Considering we were halfway through the semester, I already had the opportunity to become familiar with my professors, and I already had a lot of online class experience, it was an easy adjustment. This really prepared me for fall semester because when I take online classes, I usually spend more time to teach myself the material, so it got me comfortable and prepared. In other words, I was not blindsided going into my last year of undergrad.
 
Q: What has college taught you during the first three years?
 
Lynda: It has literally only been three complete years and college has taught me so much. I feel like I have learned so much from my experiences outside of the classroom more than anything else. Since starting college, I was pushed outside my comfort zone, dealt with a lot of adversity, and I have learned so much through my experiences and interactions with people I've met over the years. Although all the moments have not been the best, I am forever grateful for these opportunities because it taught me a lot about myself and I wouldn't be who I am if I hadn't gone through those experiences and challenges. College this far has really opened my eyes to who I want to be, how I want to carry myself, and has taught me to be patient with the growing process.
 
Jordan: To say that college has taught me a lot is an understatement. Some of the greatest life lessons that I've learned have come through my first three years of college. Meeting new people, being a part of a team, and overcoming adversity are just a few of the things that have encouraged me to grow as a person. I've learned that if you work hard and trust the process, you can get to where you want to be no matter what. It's important to push yourself and put 110 percent into whatever you set your mind to.
 
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
 
Jordan: After graduation I plan on finishing up some prerequisites and hopefully travel a little before applying to grad school to get my doctorate in physical therapy.
 
Lynda: After graduation, I plan to move back to the Bay Area and start gaining experience in my career path. I constantly think about how much volleyball has shaped me as a person and how much I have learned outside the fundamentals, drills, and game. All the adversity, hard work, blood, sweat, and tears over the years have really prepared me and I cannot wait for it serve me well in the next chapter of my life.
 
Q: You both came to campus together in 2017, What would you tell your freshman self now that you both are seniors close to graduating?
 
Lynda: I would tell my freshman self that, it's all going to work out and that no matter how bad things may seem at the moment, the growth you receive in return is all going to be worth it. I would also advise my freshman self to make the best of every experience and opportunity that comes your way because everything happens for a reason. It is a bad day, not a bad life.
 
Jordan: This sounds cliché, but I would just tell my freshman year self to not stress about the little things or dwell on what's out of my control because everything happens for a reason. I'd also tell her to soak in every moment and enjoy the ride because it really does go by so fast.