In their home opener, the Cerritos College volleyball team got off to a good start against visiting Mt. San Jacinto College on Wednesday night. The Falcons (0-2) won the first set, 25-21 against the Eagles, but dropped the next three sets, 8-25, 16-25, 12-25 and suffered the loss. The team will compete in the San Bernardino Valley Tournament this Friday.

Cerritos fell behind early in each set, but were only able to regroup in the first set. Down 5-1 in the first set, they were able to tie the match at 10-10 and took their first lead when the trio of Breanna Lizarraga (Paramount HS), Kira Magdaleno (Artesia HS) and Sonye Garcia (Paramount HS) recorded consecutive kills for a 14-12 advantage. The teams traded points up until it was 20-20 before the Falcons recorded four consecutive points to close in on the win. Kills by Aiyana Sierra (La Mirada HS) and Garcia were coupled with a pair of attack errors by Mt. San Jacinto. The Falcons won the set on a service error.

Service errors and serve reception errors haunted Cerritos the entire match, as they combined for 19 of them. Unlike the first set, the Falcons were not able to regroup after falling behind early, as the Eagles turned to Trysta Vincelli and Mckenna Conklin, who combined for 29 kills and five service aces.

Sophomore Abby Gutierrez (Downey HS) led the Falcons with eight kills and added 13 digs, with the duo of Garcia and freshman Kaydence Portillo (Bell Gardens HS) each producing seven kills. Sophomore setter Carissa Mendibles (Downey HS) directed the offense with 24 assists, with Lizarraga leading the back row with 17 digs.

Photos by Daryl Peterson