Julian Reyes / Roundup
The Pierce College Women’s volleyball team began their 2010 season with a double-header sweep of Pasadena City College and Ventura College, at El Camino College, Friday.
The Brahmas started of strong against the Pasadena Lancers with a 4-1 point lead. Sarah Martin, the 2008 player of the year, looked good after sitting out the entire 09′ season due to two stress fractures in her back. She quickly started to fill up the stat sheet with a block and a kill, which built the Brahma lead to 14-9. The Brahmas continued to pressure the Lancers after a time out. A block from Reanna Hill, a second-team-all-conference selection last season, expanded the lead to 23-15 and the Brahmas finished off the first game two points later, 25-15.
“We were serving tough and that kept them off balance a little bit and that creates opportunities to score points,” Pierce Head Coach Nabil Mardini said.
The second match would not come as easy. Pasadena started fast and furious with their frontline, blocking the Brahmas attempts, while quickly building a 0-5 lead. But the momentum shifted after a kill from Martin and an out of bound serve from Pasadena that shrunk the lead to 9-13. The two teams exchanged points with the score tied at 20. With Pasadena ready for match point at 22-24, coach Mardini called a time out.
“Take care of the ball and make your passes,” Mardini said during the stoppage. Hill stepped up big with three straight blocks that fueled the comeback, giving the second game to the Brahmas, 26-24.
“That is what you expect from your sophomores,” Mardini said after the game, commenting on how this year’s team is going to rely on its veteran leadership.
The third game saw the Brahmas in the same position, trailing 6-10 with Coach Mardini forced to call a time out. And again, the Brahmas seemed to have a comeback in the works. The game was close with the score even at 21. A late point from Pierce gave them the lead at 23-22, but that would be as far as they would go. This time the outcome was different as the Lancers won the third game 23-25, denying Pierce the sweep.
The Brahmas cruised in the fourth game. Leading the way was Martin, who seemed in top form, forcing the Lancers to call a time out, with Pierce leading 11-7. Double Rainbows from Potter and Martin extended the lead to 18 -14. Martin put the game away with a smashing spike that lit up the crowd, giving Pierce a commanding 23-17 lead. The Brahmas did not look back winning their first match of the day and season 25 -20.
“Our passing was really good, our serving was pretty good and the fact that we were determining the ball really well factored in the win,” Martin said after the win.
The second match of the double header saw the Brahmas take on the Ventura Pirates. Ventura came out energetic with a 0-3 lead. But, the Brahmas cool, calm and collected, shook off the slow start, regained control of the match and finished them off, 25-16 in the first game.
In second game Potter started the Brahma charge with two quick kills, giving the team an early 7-3 lead.
“Our setter Julianna Hicks is doing a really good job setting the hitters, putting the ball where it needs to be on the court,” Potter said. “It’s really her who’s doing all the work out there.”
The great play continued as the lead grew to 12- 6. Back to back kills from Hill and Potter gave the team the lead at 16-14 and that is as close at the Pirates would get with the Brahmas winning the second game, 25-20.
Pierce started off slow in the third game, trailing 2-5.
“We were flat, we started the game a little to relaxed,” Mardini said.
Once again the Brahmas took back the lead at 14-10 with coach Mardini calling a time out. After the time out Pierce seemed to gain confidence and quickly expanded the lead to 20-16. Martin finished off the dominant match with a pair of kills and the Brahmas won the game 25-17, sweeping their opponent right out of the building. Pirates team Captain Shelbee Younce, credited the Brahmas after the game.
“We played good, but Pierce has a really good team,” Younce said. “They have a really good serve and some big hitters.”
The Brahmas next match is Wednesday, September 15 at 7:00 P.M. against Moorpark College.