Just eight points away from getting swept, the Cerritos College volleyball team rallied against East Los Angeles College for a five-set victory in South Coast Conference play on Friday. The Falcons (8-9, 5-4) registered a 14-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-12, 15-7 and will now travel to El Camino College on Wednesday for a 6:00 p.m. contest.

In the third set, Cerritos was trailing, 14-17 after dropping the first two sets. But freshman Jasmynne Roberts (Long Beach Poly HS) stepped in and served 10 straight points to give the Falcons a 24-17 lead. During that rally, freshman Amanda Payne (Orange Lutheran HS) recorded three kils, while Roberts added three service aces and a kill. Once they won the third game, their confidence began to swell and they started the fourth game with a 7-1 lead.

The Falcons dominated that fourth game, as they took a 17-4 lead on their way to a convincing set. In the fifth, Cerritos started on top 4-0 on a pair of kills by Roberts and a service ace from freshman Crissy Silavong (Katella HS). But the Huskies, who relied heavily on Stephany Landry (13 kills) in the first two games, looked more to Stephanie Ortiz (nine kills) and Jessica Castillo (four kills).

With the score at 8-6, Cerritos got a kill from Payne and a bad set by East LA made it a 10-6 lead. The Falcons then closed out the match with five straight points from the serve of sophomore Ashley Castro (Santa Fe HS), who recorded an ace along the way.

Payne led the team with 15 kills and added eight digs, while Roberts dominated at times before finishing with 13 kills and a team-high 21 digs and five service aces. Freshman Sara Hickman (La Mirada HS) checked in with seven kills and only one error, with freshman Nicole Spigner (La Mirada HS) rotating between outside hitter and libero and posted six kills and five digs. Silavong dished out 23 assists to go along with 14 digs and a pair of kills, as freshman Valerie Montoya (La Mirada HS) and sophomore Chelsea James (La Mirada HS) combined for nine kills.

Photos by Daryl Peterson