COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : OCC Extends Golden West to Fifth Game Before Losing

For the first two games of Golden West’s Orange Empire Conference women’s volleyball match with Orange Coast Wednesday, the Rustlers seemed on the way to an easy victory.

Instead, Golden West had to play an outstanding fifth game to get a 15-3, 15-0, 9-15, 12-15, 15-3 victory at Golden West.

It was the 56th consecutive conference victory for Golden West (9-0, 2-0 in conference), the defending state champion and top-ranked team this season. OCC (7-3, 2-1) is ranked 12th in the state.

Golden West was ahead, 9-3, in the third game and OCC seemed ready to make it an early evening.

But instead of rolling over, the Pirates rolled up the final 12 points of the third game for a 15-9 victory.

Both teams played well in the fourth game, but OCC turned things its way at the net behind the blocking of Stacey Bekemeyer, who had six blocks in the match. She also led her team with 10 kills.

The fourth game was tied, 12-12, when Bryn Gillis, daughter of OCC men’s basketball Coach Tandy Gillis, had an ace to put OCC ahead, 13-12. Bekemeyer and Kris Clemens combined on a block and OCC led, 14-12. Golden West was called for four hits in the game’s final point.

Golden West, facing a fifth game for the first time this season, found its earlier form. Heather Flaherty had two kills and a stuff block as Golden West took a 3-0 lead.

The Rustlers increased their lead to 7-0 before OCC scored. Brenda Irby later had a kill to give Golden West a 14-3 lead and Tania Grasselli had an ace to close out the match. Irby led with 22 kills, Tracy Schriber had 12, and Margaret Weese had 55 assists for Golden West.

“OCC played great in the third and fourth games,” Golden West Coach Al Gasparian said. “But I was happy with the way we came back in the fifth game.”