Attacking and serving errors proved vital for the champions not to win their games against the Moorpark College Raiders and the Long Beach City College Vikings.
With the two losses, the Brahmas dropped to 3-8 in the season and 1-6 in conference play.
For the Raiders game, Pierce showed fight in the first two sets even though they lost the first 25-17 and the second 25-21.
Moorpark wrapped things up in the third winning it 25-14.
Brett Norkus said injuries and missing players affected the team.
“One of our teammates was injured and our starting setter had food poisoning for the game against Long Beach,” Norkus said. We hope for the next games we have more players coming back.”
Grant Degrasse said the Raiders had a deep lineup.
“Moorpark is a physical team and they took it to us in the serving and every aspect of the game. The moral was still thereand we are trying to find that nitch even though we are in the middle of the season,” DeGrasse said.
For both games, head coach Edison Zhou and Lance Walker were not on the sidelines. Coach Joe Arechiga took over coaching duties.
Things continued to go downhill as they lose to the Long Beach City College Vikings in straight sets (25-14, 25-11 and 25-16).
Pierce only scored the first point in the second set. In the other two LBCC took the lead.
Even though the Brahmas would respond, Long Beach would take commanding leads.
LBCC’s Kyle Anema had four straight service aces giving the Vikings a 5-1 lead.
DeGrasse led the Brahmas with 11 kills, one more than LBCC’s Miller Davis.
Daniel Grogan, libero, led Pierce in assists with 16 having three more than Long Beach’s Joseph Rocha.
“We could have improved a lot in these two games. For the games coming up against Antelope Valley and Santa Barbara we have to show that we are a different team,” Grogan said.
Rocha also led the game in digs with six. For the Brahmas, Grant DeGrasse had five, one more than Grogan and Gene Kim.
The Brahmas return to the court Wednesday when they host Antelope Valley College at 6 p.m.
