Pirates survive five-set marathon with Fullerton

COSTA MESA -- For those who plan to watch the Orange Coast College women's volleyball team play at Fullerton College on Nov. 5, here is some friendly advice -- bring a sandwich.

In a match that reached 2 hours and 30 minutes, the Pirates survived a five-set thriller over the visiting Hornets, 25-21, 27-25, 26-24, 25-27, 15-13 on Friday night inside the Peterson Gym.

Danyelle Brown led the fifth-ranked Pirates (9-0, 3-0 in Orange Empire Conference) with 18 kills, while Sierra Brown came through with 17 kills. Kasse-Ann Kiriu-Dela Cruz anchored the defense with 22 digs, while Danyelle Brown added 16. Setter Danielle Boyette dished out 40 assists.

For the Hornets (8-2, 1-2), Grace Lopez led the offense with 19 kills, while Alex Winfield contributed 16. Carly Bergen dished out 35 assists, while Winfield added 28 and on defense, Lopez led the way with 16 digs, while Mariah Gonzalez added 15.

It was a match that had a little bit of everything, although early on, it looked like the Pirates were going to make quick work of the Hornets.

Trailing 16-12 in the opening set, Coast ripped off five straight points to grab a 17-16 lead. Both teams traded points before Fullerton earned three straight to take a 20-18 lead, forcing the Pirates into a timeout.

But Sierra Brown came up big down the stretch with three kills to spark a 7-1 run to give Coast the opening set.

It was more of the same in the second set as Fullerton again led early, only to see the Pirates fight back and carry a 24-19 lead -- one point away from a two-set lead.

But the Hornets refused to quit and used a pair of blocks by Larreya Hayden and kills by Lopez and Winfield to tie the set at 24.

Both teams traded points before a wide serve and a Dela Cruz service winner enabled the Pirates to finally take a 2-0 lead in the match.

It was a back-and-forth third set with both teams tied at 24 before a lift violation and a team block by the Hornets kept the guests alive in the match.

Coast looked to be in control of the fourth set thanks to an 18-14 lead, but the Hornets used a series of 2-0 and 3-0 runs to chip away that deficit. Coast fought off a pair of set points and used a Sierra Brown to have a match-point situation at 26-25.

But Fullerton used a Coast return into the net, a block by Lopez and a kill by Winfield to pull out the 28-26 win and force a fifth set.

Coast led 5-2 in the race-to-15, but Fullerton used a 7-3 run to lead 9-8 as a pair of kills by Lopez and a pair of kills by Winfield sparked the rally.

But Danyelle Brown saved her best for last as she found openings through the Hornets' blockers and picked up five kills down the stretch, four coming in a 6-2 run that gave Coast match-point at 14-11.

Fighting until the very end, Fullerton used a pair of kills by Alanna Hayhurst and Kali La Brie to get back to within a point at 14-13, forcing the Pirates into a timeout.

But the Pirates went back to Danyelle Brown and the freshman delivered a kill off of a Hornet blocker, giving Coast the hard-fought win.

It doesn't get any easier for the Pirates next week as they travel to Golden West on Wednesday (6 p.m.) before returning to the Peterson Gym on Friday to host Riverside (6 p.m.).