Competing in their final home match of the season, the Cerritos College volleyball team was swept by Long Beach City College, 14-25, 14-25, 20-25. The match was rescheduled from October 27 and dropped the Falcons record to 11-10 overall and 7-8 in conference play. They will play their final regular season conference match on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. when they travel to Los Angeles Harbor College. Locked in fifth place in the conference standings, Cerritos will open the South Coast Conference Tournament on Friday against the fourth place Vikings, who will be the home team.

Just as she's done all season, freshman Jayda Harris-Amete (La Mirada HS) led the Falcons with a match-high 15 kills, while she also added nine digs.

The Vikings were able to go on long scoring runs, which hurt Cerritos in the match. It was a manageable 14-10 LBCC lead in the first set until they ran off six consecutive points to take a commanding 20-10 advantage. The Falcons were within five points (18-13) in the second set, but again, the Vikings recorded seven of the next eight points to lock down the set. A 9-9 tie in the third set quickly became a 14-9 lead after three consecutive attack errors sandwiched between two service aces for LBCC. Still maintaining a chance to extend the match after three Harris-Amete kills and two Viking attack errors, the score was 22-18 in favor of LB City. But that's as close as Cerritos would get and suffered the three-game sweep.

Along with Harris-Amete, the Falcons received six kills from freshman Ava Villaflores (La Mirada HS), while freshman setter Carissa Mendibles (Downey HS) dished out 25 assists and added four digs. Freshman Maleah Gonzales (Schurr HS) had some success at the net with a pair of solo blocks to go with her three kills, with freshmen Marissa Mendibles (Downey HS) and Madison Borja (La Mirada HS) both recording two kills.

Photos by Daryl Peterson