Pirates open season with win over Santa Barbara
COSTA MESA -- Dylan Emery had 14 kills to the lead the Orange Coast College men's volleyball team to a three-game sweep over visiting Santa Barbara City College on Wednesday night at OCC's Peterson Gym.
Chris Van Vuuren added 10 kills and three digs, while teammate Rusty Sary added nine kills and three digs as the Pirates rolled to a 25-18, 25-21, 25-23 nonconference win in both teams' season opener. Setter Michael Ensign paced the offense with 40 assists.
Cody Kreitzer led the Vaqueros with 12 kills, while Matt Winslow returned from a 2011 injury and produced five kills. Setters Jordan Dyer and Luke Pope combined for 23 assists.
The strong serving of the Pirates helped jump-start things in Game 1 as they jumped out to a 14-8 lead and never looked back.
The Vaqueros started stronger in Game 2 before OCC turned a 14-12 lead into a 19-12 advantage. Kills by Emery and Austin Bagby, an ace by Sary, a block by Tim Frydendall and a poor SBCC return helped spark the 5-0 run. Santa Barbara would get back to within four, but it wasn't enough as the Pirates grabbed a two-game lead in the match.
Things got dicey for the Pirates in Game 3 as a 22-18 lead evaporated with a 5-1 Vaqueros' run, tying the game at 23.
But following a Pirates' timeout, OCC regrouped and used a kill by Sary and a center-line violation by SBCC to close the match out.
Coast will return to the Peterson Gym on Friday night against L.A. Pierce, beginning at 6 p.m.
