With only one returning player from last season, the Cerritos College volleyball team put in a fine effort in a comeback that came up short against visiting Santa Ana College on Friday. The Falcons (0-1), who dropped the first two sets, rallied back against the Dons (1-0) to forced a fifth set, but came up short in a 9-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-21, 7-15 decision. The team will now compete in the Fullerton three-way next Wednesday and take on the Hornets (2:00 p.m.), followed by a 4:00 p.m. match against Citrus College.

It was a slow start for the young Falcons, who were competing in their first collegiate match. After spotting Santa Ana the first two sets, Cerritos started their comeback and slowly pulled away in the third set to take a 15-9 lead after kills by freshmen Jody Suski (Cerritos HS) and Nataly Reynoso (Pioneer HS), along with sophomore Daisy Segura (Cerritos HS), as well as a service ace by Suski. The Dons closed to within 18-17, but Cerritos scored seven of the next eight points for their first set win of the year. A pair of service aces by freshmen Nadia Arreaga (L.A.C.E.S HS) were followed by consecutive kills by Suski to clinch the set.

The match was tied as late as 17-17 in the fourth set. But the Falcons were able to get kills from Suski, Segura and Reynoso once again, while Arreaga put the finishing touches on the set with a kill. That led to a 15-point fifth set, which saw Santa Ana break out to a 4-0 lead and and 10-5 advantage. The Dons, who relied heavily on Dianna Nguyen (11 kills) and Mikelle Taylor (19 kills) were too much for the Falcons.

Suski led the team with 15 kills, with Reynoso and freshman Cecilia Burroughs (Cabrillo HS) each adding 10 kills and combined for 19 digs. Segura dished out 36 assists and added 13 digs, with Burroughs recording four service aces.

Photos by Daryl Peterson