Volleyball: Team closes out season with win

Valerie Montoya (10) and Brianna Gutierrez (13) combined for 15 kills and four blocks in the Falcons sweep of LA Harbor
Valerie Montoya (10) and Brianna Gutierrez (13) combined for 15 kills and four blocks in the Falcons sweep of LA Harbor

In their final match of the season, the Cerritos College volleyball team recorded a 25-13, 26-24, 25-16 South Coast Conference win over visiting Los Angeles Harbor College. The Falcons conclude their year with a 9-13 overall mark, while they are 6-8 in conference action.

In the win over the Seahawks (2-16, 1-13), Cerritos slowly pulled away and led 10-5 after a pair of kills from both Sara Hickman (La Mirada HS) and Brianna Gutierrez (St. Matthias HS). The Falcons capitalized on several attack errors by LA Harbor to extend their lead. It was a 21-10 lead after a kill from Jasmynne Roberts (Long Beach Poly HS) before Valerie Montoya (La Mirada HS) closed out the set with a kill.

Chelse James (1) and Ashley Castro (27) were honored for their two years with the Falcons. Cerritos helped out LA Harbor in the second set with nine attack errors, with Alexandria Palala also helping her team's cause with three solo blocks. The Seahawks held a 22-20 lead until a pair of kills from Roberts tied the set and after LA Harbor regained the lead at 23-22, Roberts came through with another kill. Freshman Amanda Payne (Orange Lutheran HS) put the team up, 24-23 before an attack error tied the game once again. Payne finished off the Seahawks with a pair of kills.

The third set was all Cerritos, as they turned a 14-13 lead into a 25-16 win, with Hickman accounting for four kills and closed out the match with her 12th kill of the night. Payne (12 kills, six digs) and Roberts (10 kills, 11 digs) also posted double-figure numbers, while freshman setter Crissy Silavong (Katella HS) dished out 30 assists with nine digs, while freshman Michelle Barba (Downey HS) added 21 assists. Montoya accounted for nine kills, while Gutierrez added six kills and three block assists.

Photos by Daryl Peterson