Comets taken down Rustlers to split week

SAN MARCOS, CA (2/24/2023) -- After a slow start to the season, the Palomar College Comets collected their first win of the season, a 3-1 routing of the Golden West College Rustlers, in front of a rowdy crowd in the Dome. 

The Comets, playing with something to prove, took the first two sets (25-17, 25-23) before getting caught on their heels in the third set. The Rustlers took set three 25-18, but the Comets bounced back in the fourth set and took it 25-16.

The win was an overall team effort. Freshman Tyler Yraceburn and sophomore Peter-Kalani Suiaunoa combined for 38 of the team's 54 kills. Freshman setter Jacob Rangel did his job and totaled 30 assists. Yraceburn and sophomore Vincent Trong both finished with 10 digs while sophomore Jared Alegado and Suiaunoa finished with eight apiece. The team had a season-high .383 kill percentage and a second-best 10 service aces. Yraceburn led the team with four and Alegado finished with three. Sophomore Elijah Vannoy finished with a team-high 10 blocks.

In their home opener on Wednesday night, the Comets fell to Fullerton College 3-0. Suiaunoa finished with a team-high 18 kills and Yraceburn finished with 11. Freshman Cyrus Mak finished with five solo blocks. Alegado led the team with nine digs.

The Comets move to 1-4 and will head to Orange Coast College on Wednesday night for a 6 p.m. first serve.