Competing in their first matches of the season, the Cerritos College volleyball team split their two matches in The Aviary on Wednesday. The Falcons (1-1) opened the day with a five-set loss at the hands of Fullerton College, 17-25, 24-26, 25-23, 25-19, 16-18. They rebounded by defeating Citrus College, 17-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-16. The team will now travel to West Los Angeles College for a 6:00 p.m. non-conference match next Wednesday.

Cerritos vs. Fullerton: After surrendering the first two sets, the Falcons worked their way back into the match by securing the third and fourth set. In the fifth and deciding set, Cerritos held leads of 4-0, 6-1 and 7-2 before the Hornets started their comeback. It was a 10-10 match until a service error and attack error was followed by a service ace from freshman Mirka Granoble (Downey HS) for a 13-10 advantage. But Fullerton was able to work their way back and took a 14-13 lead. Facing match point, a service error against the Hornets extended the set. Freshman Sierra Hernandez-Hardy (Bishop Amat HS) gave the Falcons a 16-15 lead, but Fullerton went on to record the final three points to lock down the win. In the second set, which the Hornets took, 26-24, the match was tied from 21-21 until a Baylee Coble kill and a Cerritos attack error put the Falcons down by two sets.

Sophomore Jody Suski (Cerritos HS) paced the team with 14 kills and 24 digs, while sophomore Nadia Arreaga (L.A.C.E.S. HS) contributing 11 kills and three service aces. Granoble directed the offense with 35 assists, while also posting five kills, 10 digs, three block assists and two service aces. Freshman Alexia Torres (Downey HS) was strong at the net with three solo blocks and three block assists, to go along with six kills and a team-high four service aces.

Cerritos vs. Citrus: Just like in their match against Fullerton, the Falcons fell behind early by dropping the first set. However, in the all-important second set, they fought back after falling behind for most of the set and pulled out the win. Trailing 15-13, Cerritos scored six of the next eight points, with freshman Brooke Winquist (Lakewood HS) posting a pair of kills, while Granoble added a service ace. With the set tied at 22-22, sophomore Regan Stanton (Lakewood HS/Long Beach CC) recorded a service ace after a Suski kill. The set was won on a Citrus attack error. Gaining momentum from the second set win, the Falcons continued to press on an secured the next two sets for their first win of the season.

Suski led the way once again with 15 kills, with Hernandez-Hardy accounting for 10 kills and Granoble directing the offense with 32 assists to go along with four kills and eight digs. Stanton led a balanced attack with a team-high 11 digs and three service aces, with seven different players registering at least one kill. Winquist finished with nine kills.