Dons Lose Hard Fought Game in Straight Sets to Fullerton College
All three sets could have gone either way but the edge went to the visiting team as the Dons lost to Fullerton by scores of 25-16, 26-24 and 25-19.
SANTA ANA - All three sets could have gone either way but the edge went to the visiting team as the Dons lost to Fullerton by scores of 25-16, 26-24 and 25-19 in an Orange Empire Conference match.
While Fullerton (10-10, 6-7) held the all of the leads in the first game, the Dons (2-18, 0-13) forced two ties early and kept pace with the Hornets until the end. Tori Sparks' service ace tied the set at 2-2 early before the Hornets pulled out to a 7-4 lead. The Dons fought back, tying the match again at 9-9 before an 8-2 run gave Fullerton a 16-11 lead.
The Dons rallied again, battling back to cut the score to 18-14 on a kill by Marissa Kohler. But Fullerton would control the action from there on out as the Hornets won the first set 25-16.
It was the Dons who controlled the action early in the second set getting a pair of early service aces kills from Sparks as well as a kill from Michelle Nguyen as the Dons built a 7-3 lead. Fullerton kept pace but wasn't able to make a move until late.
After Kohler but the Dons up 20-17 with a kill late in the match, Sparks followed later with a kill to put the Dons up 23-19. However, that was when the Hornets began their run, outscoring the Dons 7-1 to win the set 26-24.
The Hornets seemed to be cruising to an easy third set win but the Dons would not go down quietly. After Fullerton established a 16-8 lead, the Dons began to battle back started with a kill by Nguyen and a service ace by Alejandrina Alejandro.
Later in the set, Sparks pulled the Dons within three at 20-17 with a kill but Fullerton retook control of the set, using a 5-2 run to close out the Dons and win the set.
The Dons end their 2012 campaign next Wednesday against Saddleback College at 7:00 p.m. Prior to the match, the Dons will honor their nine sophomores.