The Bear Cubs volleyball team looked to cut a three-game losing streak as they faced the Vikings of Diablo Valley College at Haehl pavillion Nov.7.
The Bear Cubs have played very well at home thus far, and were determined to defend their home court against a tough league opponent.
They battled at the beginning of the set, and were tied 9-9. But the Vikings got hot, and barely conceded points for the rest of the set. Diablo Valley led 16-20, and the sloppy play of the home team prompted coach Kaitlin Ferguson to use both of her timeouts for the set.
After the lackluster performance in the first set, the Bear Cubs came out with a high level of intensity. They jumped out to an 8-3 lead, and never looked back.
With a 17-8 lead, the Vikings took a timeout to try and stop the bleeding. The Vikings showed some fire after the timeout, but the Bear Cubs stayed strong and finished the second set 25-13, to even the match at one game apiece.
The third game of the match was back and forth. The Vikings had a 5-point advantage, leading 11-6. But the Bear Cubs rallied to tie the game at 13-13. The Bear Cubs took a 14-13 lead, then scored four more consecutive points to gain a 4-point lead in the set, and the home crowd loved it.
DVC called a timeout to regroup. They responded to the Bear Cubs’ run with a run of their own, bringing the set to a score of 18-17.
Once the set got close, the Bear Cubs clicked back into gear. They ripped off four more points in a row, forcing a timeout from the Viking’s coach. On the set point [24-21] a rally ensued, and the Vikings were set up nicely for a kill to give them some confidence and momentum for the rest of the set. Rebecca Steiner had different plans. A diving dig saved the rally, and the Cubs earned a well deserved win in the third game.
The fourth set was competition at its finest. The back and forth affair continued, with the fourth set containing five-lead changes. But, when it really counted at the end of the set, the Vikings were resilient. The Cubs were knocking at the door, overcoming multiple deficits to tie the set at 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, and 25. The Vikings won the set 27-25.
In the decisive fifth set, both teams were hungry for the win. Like the previous two sets, it was close the whole time. Tied at 11, the Bear Cubs closed out the game with strong play, and a lot of heart. They finished off the game with four straight points, with the match point coming off of an ace from freshman defensive specialist Kayla Cogliano.
With this win, the Bear Cubs move to 12-9, sitting near the top of the Big 8 Conference. The Bear Cubs’ next game takes place Wednesday, Nov. 12 at home against American River College. There are only three games remaining until the playoffs, so the Bear Cubs will look to continue to improve heading into the big stage.