Volleyball: Season ends with five-set defeat

File Photo: Kira Magdaleno had a season-high 14 kills against Long Beach City
File Photo: Kira Magdaleno had a season-high 14 kills against Long Beach City

In their final match of the season, the Cerritos College volleyball team won the first two sets against host Long Beach City College, but were then defeated in five sets, 28-26, 25-20, 23-25, 9-25, 13-15. The Falcons concluded their season with a 4-17 overall record and were 2-10 in South Coast Conference action.

After taking the first two sets, Cerritos was on the verge of a three-set sweep over the Vikings. With the match tied at 17-17, Long Beach City recorded the next three points, forcing the Falcons to battle back. A service error and attack error brought Cerritos back to within one point, but the teams then traded the next nine points, with the Vikings extending the match with a 25-23 decision.

Cerritos struggled in the fourth set and committed nine attack errors, which earned Long Beach City the win, which sent the match to a fifth and deciding set. It was a close set with the teams tied nine times through the first 18 points. The Vikings took advantage of a bad set and a three attack errors to open a 13-9 lead over the Falcons. A pair of LB City miscues brought Cerritos to within 14-12 after a service error by the Falcons gave Long Beach match point. The Vikings closed out the comeback with a kill.

Freshman Kira Magdaleno (Artesia HS) led the Falcons with a season-high 14 kills along with 13 digs, with freshman Kaydence Portillo (Bell Gardens HS) turning in 11 kills. Also contributing to the offense was sophomore Abby Gutierrez (Downey HS) with seven kills and added seven digs, while sophomore Aiyana Sierra (La Mirada HS) recorded seven kills. Sophomore setter Carissa Mendibles (Downey HS) finished with 39 assists and 13 digs, with sophomore Breanna Lizarraga (Paramount HS) leading the back row with 18 digs in the match.

Lizarraga finished the season with 363 digs, which ranks fifth on the school's single-season list.