Kiyomi Kikuchi
The number-one-ranked women’s volleyball team at Pierce College ended their 61-home-game winning streak in the second round of regionals, with about half of the spectators cheering for Orange Coast College (OCC) at the South Gym Saturday night.
Pierce finished out the state finals 1-1, with a season score of 30-2.
Pierce head coach Nabil Mardini said the team didn’t have any idea how OCC had been playing because it had been a year since Pierce played the college.
Before the game, he said, “All we can do is just prepare our team.”
Head coach Chuck Cutenese had a hard time figuring out Brahmas style as well.
“We had not seen Pierce all year,” Cutenese said. “We had watched their scores and we had some common opponents and we knew they were very physical.”
They both started the game not knowing what they were getting into.
Pierce started behind in the first game, 7-0, as hitters attempted to spike five times, but three went out of bounds.
“You can tell we were kind a nervous. I don’t know why,” Mardini said. “We let them score seven points in a row.”
Pierce closed the gap to one point when the score reached 19-20, but ended up losing the first game, 25-21.
Brahmas Libero Jessica Reyes said, “We started out all the games down and it was hard to come back.”
The Brahmas made fewer mistakes in the second game, eventually winning it by an 11-point lead, 25-14.
“We started playing our game,” Mardini said. “We did a good job serving.”
Cutenese said his team made some offensive adjustments in the third game.
” We talked about mixing it up to mix (Pierce’s) defense up,” he said. “To be smart and aggressive.”
OCC led five points in the beginning of the third set. Pierce trailed closely at 18-17, and again at 19-18, but ended up losing, 25-22.
Mardini said, “It came down to the last three points and OCC just played very well.”
Pierce wasn’t prepared for swift and surprising attacks and couldn’t hold onto points in the fourth game.
Cutenese said OCC practiced a lot of shot variety, including tipping, which is when the hitter attacks the ball softly.
“We definitely did not control the tips very well,” Mardini said. “We talked about. We practiced it all year. It’s not the first time to see it. We just didn’t pick it up. We didn’t capitalize on the opportunities.”
Pierce kept matching point-for-point and even managed to get three points ahead near the middle of the last set, but eventually lost it, 25-22.
Sarah Martin, a key player for the Brahmas, was not at the game because of a prior engagement she had to attend. The coaches replaced her with middle hitter Lisa Sonnenblick.
Brad Lyans, Pierce assistant coach, said despite the fact the team dynamic was affected a bit by Martin’s absence, a win was still possible.
“We can play anybody in the state and do well with the lineup we had, with the girls we had tonight,” he said.
Vanessa Murray, Pierce opposite hitter, attempted to attack 53 times and had 27 kills to lead the team; Janet Alvarado, Pierce outside hitter, had 11 kills out of the 34 attempts; Lisa Sonnenblick, Pierce middle hitter (outside hitter), had 10 kills out of the 43 attempts.
Mardini said, “Orange Coast played very well. Obviously, we were off balance a little and made a lot of errors. It is what it is.”
Lisa Sonnenblick, Pierce co-captain and middle hitter, said, “I am very disappointed. We put in a lot of hours in gym, weight and stuff.
“We probably shouldn’t have expressed it,” she said, “but we expected to be in the State Championship and that didn’t happen.”
Pierce ended its run at 30-2 for the season. The 61-home-game winning streak since Oct. 11, 2002 may have ended, but a new beginning is coming next year.
Terry Soltani (12) jumps to block the ball as Orange Coast’s Briana Fields (13) tips it over the net. ()
Lisa Sonnenblick (6) and Brooke McFerren (24) jump to block the ball. ()