Orange Coast College

Women's Volleyball: Pirates fight back for five-game win over Lasers

Friday, October 16, 2009

COSTA MESA -- After stumbling in the first two games, the Orange Coast College women's volleyball team came out firing on all cylinders the rest of the way and rallied for a five-game win over first-place Irvine Valley, 20-25, 21-25, 25-11, 25-14, 15-9, on Friday at OCC's Peterson' Gym.

Poerava Gantt led the way with a season-high 30 kills to lead the Pirates' offense, while Briana Fields added 18 kills and Karlee Skalla contributed 11.

"Our team began to show confidence in themselves and after we got some momentum, we didn't let it go," OCC head coach Chuck Cutenese said. "We weren't playing well early, but we were still hanging with them (IVC) so in Game 3, we came out fighting and didn't stop until the finish."

Nikki Osuna anchored the OCC defense with 25 digs, while Rachel Freeno added 12. Freshman setter Kimya Jafroudi dished out 57 assists.

Early on, it looked like a quick night for the eighth-ranked Pirates (10-1, 4-1 in OEC) as fourth-ranked IVC (8-1, 4-1) used a late run in Game 1 and an early run in Game 2 to grab control of the match.

The rest of the way, it was all Pirates. With Gantt and Skalla finding their hitting zones, the Pirates buried the Lasers in Game 3, jumping out to a 21-8 lead before cruising to victory.

In Game 4, OCC led 13-10, but used a 9-1 run, sparked by a pair of Alex Mainini blocks and kills from Skalla, Fields and Freeno, to grab control of the game and even the match at two games apiece.

Coast saved its best game for the end, especially in the serve department. With only one service error in the final game (seven for the match), OCC jumped out to a 10-3 lead, forcing IVC to a timeout. From the start of Game 3, the Pirates outscored the Lasers 60-28 with that 10-3 advantage in the fifth.

Both teams traded points down the stretch and a Fields' kill at 14-9 ended the match, sending the OCC players and fans onto the court in celebration.

Hillary Crone led the Lasers with 15 kills, while Katie Wilkerson added 10.

OCC returns to action on Wednesday at Fullerton College before returning to the Peterson Gym to host Santa Ana on Friday. Both matches are set to begin at 6 p.m.