Women’s Volleyball Falls in Five to Orange Coast

TORRANCE, Calif. --- El Camino College dropped its sixth straight match on Tuesday night with a 3-2 (22-25, 19-25, 25-13, 25-18, 13-15) loss to No. 15 Orange Coast at the ECC Gymnasium.

The Warriors (2-8) were able to fight back from a two-sets-to-none deficit to force a deciding fifth set and briefly held a lead in the final frame, but the visiting Pirates (7-0) were able to hold off ECC in the end.

Brea Rutledge had a career night for the Warriors as she blasted down 25 kills with just five errors on 61 swings, attacking at a .328 clip in the loss. Adelynn Abrams added 10 kills on a .333 attacking percentage while Nofoali'i Selu (22) and Jayden Zabala (17) combined for 39 assists in the match.

Faith Jones led the Pirates with 17 kills and Summer Hanks added 15 while Ellie Winter dished out 50 assists to keep OCC undefeated on the year.

The Warriors offense struggled mightily in the first to sets, particularly in the second when they managed just five total kills with six errors to fall behind 2-0. After two sets, Rutledge had just six kills with two errors on 22 swings.

But Rutledge and the Warriors stormed back as the Warriors outside hitter led the way, hammering down 15 kills on 27 swings with one error combined in the third and fourth set to get the Warriors even in the match and force a fifth set.

In the final frame, the teams were tied nine times and traded the lead twice but, in the end, the Pirates were able to hold off the Warriors by the slimmest of margins to take the victory.

The Warriors will return to South Coast Conference action on Wednesday night as they host L.A. Harbor at the ECC Gymnasium. First serve is set for 6 p.m.