Brahmas Bull Their Way to Third Straight Volleyball Title

By Steve Lombard

Faced with the task of playing previously unbeaten Orange Coast College on the Pirates' home floor, the odds of winning a third straight men's volleyball title for L.A. Pierce College didn't look good.

Especially after the Pirates (18-1) cruised to a relatively easy 30-21 victory in game one of the championship match Saturday night at Costa Mesa.

But the Brahma Bulls (17-3) stormed back, sweeping Coast in the next three games, 33-31, 30-27, 30-24, to claim their third consecutive state championship. Pierce also becomes the first California community college to win six men's volleyball titles. Orange Coast and Golden West each have five.

The Pirates, who had lost only five games all season, looked like they might be the first team to win six titles when they built a 10-3 lead in the first game and rode their early momentum to win the first game 30-21.

The Brahmas, however, were not ready to be put out to pasture just yet.

"We came our really nervous and just weren't hitting our shots," said Pierce setter John Mayer, the tournament MVP with 59 assists. "But coming out in that second game we started playing Brahma ball."

In game two, the Pirates jumped out to a 13-10 lead. But momentum soon changed when OCC outside hitter Jeff Taylor went down with an ankle injury and the Pirates clinging to a 20-19 advantage.

"They lost confidence and we seemed to gain it when Taylor went out," said Pierce coach Tom Black. "We were able to capitalize."

Pierce finally took the lead at 23-22, and held off game-point twice (29-30 and 30-31) to win game two 33-31. The teams played to 16 ties and seven lead changes, with neither team leading the critical second game by more than three points.

"It knocked the wind out of us," said Coast coach Chuck Cutenese of Taylor's injury. "We also had a couple of unforced errors. But that's volleyball. You've got to live with that."

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The Pirates never seemed to fully regain their momentum, falling behind 12-9 in game three. OCC did catch the Bulls at 14-14, but Pierce stayed in control and held on for a 30-27 win and a 2-1 advantage. Like game two, the teams battled back and forth, playing to 14 ties and seven lead changes.

After sitting out most of game two and all of game three, Taylor returned for the Pirates in the fourth game. By this time, however, the Brahma Bulls were preparing for the final stampede. They rushed to an 18-12 lead and maintained the six-point advantage en route to the title-clinching 30-24 victory.

"What an amazing win," said Mayer, who also added nine digs and five blocks to his MVP performance. "They crushed us the last time," referring to the Pirates' 30-26, 30-26, 30-25 victory during the regular season back on March 13.

Pierce outside hitters Pedro Leal and Clint Coe, 21 kills each, joined Mayer on the all-tournament team. OCC's Soeren Schneider, 14 kills, and teammate John Campbell, 12 kills, also were selected. Rounding out the all-tourney team were sophomore setter Travis Nelson of Golden West College and Arri Jeschke, an outside hitter from Santa Barbara.