Bucs get past Pierce in five

Sophomore Kaimana Kamalani posted a team-high 23 kills to go along

with 11 digs to lead Orange Coast College’s men’s volleyball team to

a 30-24, 27-30, 26-30, 30-24, 15-12 Orange Empire Conference victory

over highly regarded LA. Pierce Wednesday night.

In a replay of last year’s state championship final, the Pirates

fought back from a 2-1 deficit behind the play of Kamalani. He

recorded eight kills in the fourth game, five of those down the

stretch as the Pirates forced a fifth game.

“I thought the great thing about Game 5 was that we didn’t get

nervous,” said OCC Coach Chuck Cutenese. “We got behind there early,

but we were able to fight back and stay with it.”

The Pirates fought back to a 7-7 tie in the final game and traded

the next two points. A pair of Pierce errors helped OCC to a 10-8

lead, then Kamalani fired his final kill of the match to make it a

three-point cushion.

Finally, Poyer Poia recorded a monster solo block to get it to

match point at 14-10, and after Pierce trimmed it to 14-12, Poia put

the game and match away with his final kill high off the top of the

block.

Poia had 15 kills and 11 digs, Paul Pomroy had 13 kills. Levi

Luster and Dane Gilliam each had three solo blocks and Mike Murphy

dished out 47 assists.

Coast (4-1, 1-0 in the OEC) visits Moopark Friday night.