Pierce Finds Groove in Volleyball

Like an artillery gunner trying to find the range on an elusive target, the Pierce College women’s volleyball players were hitting their spikes a little long, a little short, just a little off, in the first game of Tuesday night’s playoff match against visiting Chaffey.

However, seventh-seeded Pierce soon found its rhythm and bounced back from a first-game loss to bounce 10th-seeded Chaffey from the Southern California regional with a 9-15, 15-7, 15-2, 15-9 first-round victory.

“I think we just have more guns to go to,” Pierce Coach Steve Gazzaniga said.

Nathalie Zodan and Lori Mertes led Pierce with 11 kills each and Marvette Williams added 10. Mertes and Williams each had six blocks and Zodan had four.

“It’s not like we have to find one person,” said Pierce setter Amy Sodek, who had 37 assists. “A lot of things were working so we had some options.”

Williams started in place of Andrea Banducci. A two-year starter and second-team All-Western State Conference selection, Banducci was knocked out of the playoffs when she injured her left knee in practice Monday.

“It’s a real tough loss for us for the second round,” Gazzaniga said. “The thing that hurts us with Andrea is that it leaves us less options.”

Pierce (18-2) had all the options it needed against Chaffey (14-6) and took control in the second game.

Pierce, making only its second appearance in the Southern California regional, scored eight consecutive points to build a 10-3 lead and quell any tournament jitters.

Williams notched the final point of the second game when she hammered a ball floating above the net for an easy kill.

Stephanie Burns, who had five kills in the match, had three in a four-point stretch to stake Pierce to a 9-1 third-game lead.

Chaffey rallied briefly to pull within 11-9 in the fourth and final game, but Pierce scored the last four points.

Mertes drilled a cross-court kill from the right side to close out the match.

“We did it to ourselves,” Chaffey Coach Bill Behrens said. “Game 2 our serving and passing went south.”

Actually, Pierce will be going south. With one down, Pierce now has No. 2 to go.

Pierce will play second-seeded Grossmont on Tuesday night at Grossmont.

The victor will advance to the eight-team state tournament at Hancock.