Trailing 2-0 in sets against visiting Fullerton College on Wednesday night, the Cerritos College volleyball team staged a great comeback to post a 19-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-18, 15-11 non-conference win. The victory by the Falcons gives them a 2-0 start to the season and a pair of wins for first-year head coach Kari Pestolesi. The team will now compete in the Victor Valley Tournament this weekend.

The comeback started in the third set, as Cerritos opened a 19-13 lead over the Hornets (1-1). However, eight consecutive points put the team behind, 21-19 until a Grace Mendez (King City HS) kill stopped the rally. A kill by sophomore Monica Vega (South Gate HS), followed by a pair of Mendez service aces gave Cerritos a 24-21 lead. After two Fullerton points, Vega put the set away with a kill.

The momentum from winning the third set gave the team enough confidence, as the two teams were tied at 17-17 in the fourth set before Cerritos scored eight of the next nine points. Kills from three different players, as well as a pair of service aces guided the team to the win, which went to a 15-point winner-take-all set.

The Falcons jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead, thanks to a balanced offensive attack. It got as close as a 9-7 Cerritos lead until a Mendez service ace and a kill by Vega got the team closer to the win. Leading 13-11, sophomore Mary Keil (Long Beach Poly HS) was able to post a kill that was mishandled, with a bad set securing the win.

In the match, four players recorded double-figures in kills, led by Vega, who had 15, along with 24 digs. Mendez added 11 kills, a team-high 28 digs and five aces, while the duo of Jasmine McNeal (Long Beach Poly HS) and Keil each had 10 kills. Sophomore setter Lorinet Marquez (Cerritos HS/Providence (CA) College) dished out 39 assists and had seven digs. Shawnee Longmeyer led Fullerton with 22 kills.