It may have been 30 years in the making, but the Cerritos College volleyball team put on a performance commensurate of a state champion. The Falcons, who came into the 3C2A State Championships at Mt. San Antonio College as the #4-seeded team from Southern California and were squared up against the #1-seed from Northern California - and #1 in the state - Fresno City College on Friday. The two teams put on an epic five-set battle, with the Rams escaping with a 19-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 19-17 decision that lasted nearly two and a half hours. The loss also ends the season for Cerritos (20-4), who were looking for their second state title in the program's history. The other one came in 1992.

"We knew it was going to be the most balanced match we were going to play all season," said Cerritos head coach Kari Hemmerling. "We both have multiple players to set to and I told my team it would come down to two points in the fifth set. Of course there are some plays you want back, but I'm so very proud of the team and their effort. It really came down to who won the serve and pass."

Both teams won a pair of sets, which sent the match into a fifth, and deciding set. Fresno City opened with the first three points, but after the Falcons tied the match at 5-5, it was a nail-biter to the end. They were tied seven more times, and Cerritos even served for match point twice. Leading, 15-14, the Falcons saw the Rams score two straight points to lead, 16-15. A pair of Fresno City attack errors gave the Falcons their second match point service, but Fresno City ended the set the way they started by scoring three straight points to secure the victory.

Most experts didn't believe the Falcons would win a set against Fresno City, who entered the state tournament riding a 21-match winning streak. After falling behind, 10-3 in the first set, there was some indication that the experts might be correct. But Cerritos was able to do what they have done all season - battle; extend rallies; score points in bunches. Three kills from sophomore Lillianna Peterson (California HS), along with a service ace from sophomore Brisa Cortez (Schurr HS) and a pair of attack errors drew the match even at 11-11. 

After Fresno City scored a point, All-American Sydney May (Los Alamitos HS/UC Santa Cruz) drove home a trio of kills, including a service ace from sophomore Leeya Rubio (Schurr HS) played a role in Cerritos opening up an 18-13 lead. The teams traded points until a Cortez kill and an attack error resulted in a 25-19 win in the first set.

The Rams responded with some adjustments and escaped with a 25-22 win in the second set. Cerritos recovered at the beginning of the third set an opened an 8-1 lead only to see Fresno City score seven of the next eight points. Continuing their spread out offensive attack, sophomore Monserrat Rodriguez (Gahr HS/Long Beach City College) recorded consecutive kills, while Peterson and sophomore Jaqueline Torres (La Sierra HS/Rio Hondo College) followed with their own kills to take a 16-12 lead. The Falcons then led, 23-18 until the Rams had one last rally to get to within 23-21. A pair of kills from Rodriguez closed out the set and gave Cerritos a 2-1 lead in sets.

Trailing by as many as nine points in the fourth set (22-13), the Falcons began a comeback that drew them to within 24-20. But the Rams recorded the next point to send the match to its fifth, and most exciting set.

Fresno City had all six of their starters record double-digit kills for the first time in the history of the state championships. As for Cerritos, they were led by May, who had 20 kills, 25 assists and eight blocks, with sophomore Jasmine Soto-Castro (Schurr HS) recording 14 kills and 22 digs. As for Rodriguez, she finished with 10 kills and 16 digs, while Rubio dished out 22 assists and added 25 digs. Peterson and Cortez combined for 13 kills for the Falcons.

Photos by Daryl Peterson