For the second time this season, the Cerritos College volleyball team was one set away from posting a win over El Camino College. But on both occasions, they saw the Warriors fight back and come away with the win, with Wednesday's match resulting in a 26-24, 20-25, 25-20, 19-25, 13-15 setback. On the year, Cerritos (11-8, 7-6) is 1-3 in five-set matches, with all three losses coming in South Coast Conference play. A couple of bounces here and there in those matches and Cerritos would be sitting in third place in the conference instead of fifth place. The Falcons will come right back on Friday at 6:00 p.m. to take on conference leading Pasadena City College (18-1, 13-0).

in the fifth and deciding set, Cerritos was sitting in good shape, as they led, 13-11. The set had been tied six times leading up to that point and the Falcons were serving with only two more points to earn. Sandwiched between a pair of kills from El Camino's Leafa Juarez was a solid attack down the line from freshman Jayda Harris-Amete (La Mirada HS), but it was called just out, giving the Warriors another point. A botched kill attempt provided the final point for the Warriors in the win.

Earlier in the evening, the Falcons pulled out the first set and were gaining momentum. Trailing 24-19 in the set, a pair of attack errors and a kill from freshman Ava Villaflores (La Mirada HS) pulled the team closer. Coming out of a timeout, another attack error was followed by a kill from freshman Aiyana Sierra (La Mirada HS), while a service ace clinched the first set. The Warriors took advantage of six service errors by Cerritos in the second set to even the match, but the Falcons regrouped and came away with the third set.

In that set, Cerritos slowly opened a five-point lead (13-8), with El Camino unable to get any closer than three points. A trio of kills from Sierra, followed by two more from Harris-Amete down the stretch in the set helped the Falcons maintain the lead. Freshman Marissa Mendibles (Downey HS) capped off the set with a kill.

Harris-Amete turned in a career-high 26 kills for the Falcons also also added 13 digs, while Marissa Mendibles had a season-high 13 kills and turned in 16 digs. Freshman setter Carissa Mendibles (Downey HS) recorded 49 assists and added 11 digs, with freshman libero Breanna Lizarraga (Paramount HS) leading the team with 21 digs. Sierra (nine kills), as well as freshman Maleah Gonzales (Schurr HS), who had seven kills also played well on the night.

Photos by Daryl Peterson