After a hard-fought match Glendale (2-6 ) ( 1-2) and short-handed, with only seven players, lost (30-23), 30-25), (30-16) to the L.A. Pierce squad on Tuesday in women’s volleyball at Glendale.

“We played really tough until near the end of the third game where the match was slipping away,” said Glendale Head Coach Yvette Ybarra-Cephus. “Pierce is a very good team, but them having more players to sub made a big difference in the match.”

The shorthanded Vaqueros still put up a tough first and second game, but the fatigue settled in during the middle of the third game where Erin Lawhorn, who led Pierce with 17 kills and Brandy Houston led with 28 assists, took over the game and never had a doubt that it would go to a fourth game.

Always reliable Jocelyn Abad contributed to the Vaqueros with 15 kills, Lindsay Kline led the squad with 25 assists and Samantha Rivero had three solo blocks and 11assists.

The Vaqueros had the first game tied at 18 when Pierce pulled away with seven unanswered points. Glendale did rally back with a couple of aces but it just wasn”t enough as they fell in the first game (30-23).

“Glendale is a tough team, they’re probably the most improved team from last year,” said Pierce Head Coach Nabil Mardini. “They [Glendale] are coached by a very smart coach and they put up a tough second game against us. Even though we won three games to nothing, we did make a few unforced errors that weren’t necessary.”

When the third game started Pierce had only one thing in mind, to put this game away and not let it go into a fourth game. Pierce had a commanding seven to one lead to start it off. But the Vaqueros were able to cut it down to only a two point lead when it was 15-13. But it was all Pierce after that as they went on a 15 to three run to sweep away Glendale.

Even though Glendale is a short team compared to the other teams in the conference, including Pierce, they have vastly improved since last year. They have already won more games since last year with nine games remaining in the season..

It would be pretty difficult to turn around in the middle of the season and become a playoff contestant, but these players all have heart according to Cephus.

“Even though we lost three to zero, I was proud of the girls coming in here short handed and putting up a good fight,” said Cephus. “After the first game I kept telling them that they were very close and still in it and they believed in themselves and showed me in the second game.”
The Vaqueros will be looking to get their third win today against Bakersfield at 7 p.m. at Glendale.