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The Lancers’ volleyball team remained tied for first place in the South Coast Conference Friday after a come-from-behind four-set victory over Cerritos College.

After dropping the first set, the Lancers went on to defeat a feisty Falcons team 20-25, 25-23, 25-21 and 25-22.

“Maybe it’s for the best Cerritos gave us fits,” Lancers’ interim head coach Bill Sanchez said. “It’s another reminder that you have to take every opponent as if they can knock you off. We’re thinking about El Camino and Cerritos took the first set and put us in a hole. Well we came back and now we have to come up with our best effort to win conference. You can bet ECC is gunning for us.”

The four-set victory extended the Lancers current season-high win streak to nine games, and improved their conference record to 12-1. The ninth straight win gives the Lancers control of the conference championship as they remain tied for first place with bitter rivals El Camino College.

The Lancers will host the Warriors on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. at Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium in the regular season finale. The winner will be crowned 2013 conference champions.  Last season the two teams shared the conference title.

Although the Lancers have already defeated ECC on the road, both teams share 12-1 conference records and it all comes down to Wednesday night’s game.

“Losing the first set against Cerritos was a positive for us,” sophomore Thula Parks said. “It made us play our A game and now we’re all so excited to win Wednesday.”

Against Cerritos, outside hitter Nora To’omalatai showed why she is a candidate for all-state recognition, recording 20 kills, 16 digs and three aces to pull the Lancers to victory.

“We just have to continue to play hard and keep fighting like we always do,” To’omalatai said. “We played well Friday, we just have to continue to communicate. I’m very excited to play El Camino. We’re all excited about Wednesday’s game, it’s sophomore night, and it’s our last conference game so we want to go out as champions this year.”

In a team effort, sophomore setter Tiffany Roesler, who ranks sixth in the state in assists per set, matched the Falcons team with a game-high 54 assists and 16 digs. Outside hitter Thula Parks continued her exciting play with15 kills and 15 digs and letterman libero Victoria Arreola added a team high 18 digs.

The freshmen duo of middle-blockers Angela Banuelos and Kendra Logan combined for 15 kills and 5 blocks to anchor the Lancers in the middle and sophomore hitter Briana Hilton totaled eight kills, seven digs, two aces and two blocks.

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