In their final match of the season, the Cerritos College coaching staff decided to honor their five sophomores by putting all of them in the starting lineup on Wednesday night at Gahr High. The group played very well together, as they defeated Los Angeles Harbor College, 25-14, 25-14, 25-15 to conclude their season with a 7-14 overall record and 6-8 South Coast Conference mark. Next season, the Falcons will return to their on-campus facility, as The Aviary construction is slated to be completed in the next few months.

Although they won in three games, Cerritos started slowly in each against the Seahawks (3-16, 0-14). But when the team needed a kill, they looked to sophomore Latia Peters (Hesperia HS), the team's leader in kills, who posted 10 on the night. Nine different Falcons recorded at least one kill in the victory, with a trio of players finishing the night with five each.

Sophomore Andrea Garrett (Cerritos HS) had five kills and three service aces, while freshman Jasmin Mitchell (Warren HS) came off the bench to contribute five kills on eight atacks and three blocks in her best match of the year. Freshman Stephanie Ortiz (Huntington Park College Ready Academy HS) also had five kills for the Falcons, with sophomore setter Gloria Chang (Bellflower HS) dishing out 17 assists, with five others checking in with at least one helper.

In the back row, sophomore Johanna Peralta (Firebaugh HS) led the team with 12 digs to go with her two kills and three service aces, while both Yazmin Rios (Paramount HS) and Ashley Castro (Santa Fe HS) each had nine digs and three service aces on the night. Aleili Flynn (nine kills, 11 digs, two blocks) and Lindsay Rivas (seven kills) led the Seahawks.

Photo by Daryl Peterson