Community College Volleyball : Orange Coast Gets Scare but Wins in 5

Top-seeded Orange Coast College lost the first two games to Pierce College before rallying for a 13-15, 12-15, 15-12, 15-11, 15-13 victory in the Southern California Community College regional volleyball finals Friday at El Camino College.

OCC, 20-1 on the season, took a 14-8 lead in the fifth game. But the Pirates needed 19 more services before Brian Lewis’ dig set up Scott Lindquist’s spike for the game-winner.

Orange Coast started slowly in the first game but caught Pierce at 9-9, and the teams traded points to a 13-13 tie. But Pierce took the game, 15-13, when Coast’s Tony Price was called for a net violation and Dan Murray’s spike went into the net.

Not surprisingly, the second game started off like the first game with the teams trading points to an 11-11 tie.

Pierce (18-3) went ahead for good at 12-11 when Brian Lewis could not return Rico Guimaraes’ serve. Two exchanges of serves later, Lewis’ spike was stuffed by Pierce’s Tony Zapata for a 13-11 Pierce lead.

OCC’s Dan Murray spiked through two blockers to bring the Pirates to 13-12, but OCC could not keep service.

Lewis’ problems in the second game were not indicative of his play most of the match. His powerful spikes and strong services were instrumental in keeping rallies going in the third game.

In the third game, Scott Lindquist’s spikes put OCC ahead, 14-12, and the Pirates were in control for the first time in the match. Craig Buccola’s spike off of two Pierce blockers gave OCC the victory.

Lewis, from Corona del Mar high school, again was the catalyst in the fourth game which was tied, 9-9, before Lewis took over. Lewis scored four of OCC’s next six points, including the last three points with two spikes and an ace.

OCC advanced to the final by defeating West Valley 15-7, 15-10, 15-4. Pierce advanced by defeating Long Beach City, 15-8, 16-4, 15-10.