The Cerritos College Falcons Volleyball team hosts the Mt San Antonio College Mounties Oct. 24 at Gahr High School at 6 p.m.
Their last meeting in Walnut on Sept. 28th saw the Falcons get handled easily in their loss to Mt. SAC, 3-0.
Cerritos College head volleyball coach, Teresa Velasquez plans on continuing to improve on the serve/receive aspects of the game in handling the strong Mounties side.
Cerritos (5-10, 4-4) versus Mt. SAC (12-4, 5-2) has to quell the Mounties’ team leader in kills, Saleen Sanchez.
As of October 16, the CCSAA lists Sanchez with 162 credited kills and a kill per game average of 3.31.
Both are no. 2 in South Coast Conference statistics.
The Falcon squad is led in kills by Latia Peters with 121 and teammate Susan Suski at 105.
Suski is nursing a sore shoulder and is out indefinitely and said, “I don’t know how long I’ll be out.”
Her offensive presence is appreciated and will be missed against Mt. SAC.
Defensively, freshman Ashley Castro of the Falcons has 105 digs to support the overall effort.
Castro is considered and deemed the team’s defensive specialist.
Cerritos’ setters, freshman Aniga Aiono, sophomore Gloria Chang and freshman Marissa Sunio have combined for 236 of the team’s 269 total assists, with Aiono accumulating 165 alone.
As has been the mantra all season long, Velasquez concentrates on serving and receiving during practice.
Many times the Falcons have started out building 5, 6 and even 7-0 leads, only to see their work dwindle away by the opposing sides.
About these early letdowns, freshman middle hitter, Chelsea James said, ”We’re like the (Los Angeles) Lakers, we can’t keep a lead.”
Winning has come sparingly for the Falcons this season.
The team is coming off a 3-set win against Los Angeles Harbor College and a win against Mt SAC. ”(a win) would boost our confidence,” according to James.
When they do win, it does help.
Coach Velasquez reminisced, “When we played against L.A. Harbor and L.A. (Los Angeles) Trade Tech, the wins helped the players think more positive.”
Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Gahr High School Gymnasium.
