Tacoma CC Claims Conference Win Over Pierce College

LAKEWOOD, Wash. — Tacoma (16-14, 3-4) secured a 3-1 victory over Pierce (2-18, 0-7) on Wednesday night at Pierce College HEC, with Tacoma's attack efficiency peaking at .333 in the second set.

Tacoma initiated the first set with a strong start, capitalizing on two early attack errors by Audrey Fries to quickly establish a 3-0 advantage. Leilah Lemalu and Mykah Curtis contributed with kills, maintaining the momentum and extending the lead to 5-1. Consistent offensive production from Kylee Harris, who provided multiple assists, allowed the Titans to sustain their lead despite intermittent responses from the Raiders.

Midway through the set, Tacoma's offensive rhythm was evident as they surged ahead 12-5, prompting Pierce to call a timeout. Following the break, Tacoma continued to dominate, extending the score to 19-10 with key plays from Curtis and a significant block by Emilia Linden and Harris. Pierce attempted to narrow the gap but was unable to halt Tacoma's momentum.

Concluding the set, the Titans maintained their lead, despite a brief rally from the Raiders that brought the score to 21-15. A final push with decisive plays, including a kill by Curtis from Harris, sealed the set at 25-16 in favor of Tacoma.

Tacoma initiated the second set with solid momentum, capitalizing on an early attack error by Pierce to open scoring through a block by Linden. Tacoma's offense found rhythm, with Harris facilitating key kills, including a series from Lemalu that extended the lead to 6-1.

The Raiders attempted a comeback, closing the gap to 6-4 with a sequence of points, but Tacoma responded with a steady push. Lemalu and Irish Wilkison added crucial points, and Tacoma maintained control despite Pierce's efforts to draw level at 13-13.

The visitors pulled away with a decisive run, including a pivotal block by Wilkison and Rasheeda Gordon, pushing the score to 16-13. Tacoma concluded the set on a strong note, taking advantage of Pierce's service errors and sealing the win at 25-17.

In the third set, Tacoma began with a quick point as Gordon delivered a kill, but Pierce responded with a service ace and a series of plays from Eseta Saunders Tauiliili, pushing their lead to 6-2. Tacoma fought back with a service ace from Gordon and capitalized on Pierce's attack errors to close the gap to 6-6.

The middle of the set saw both teams exchanging points, with Linden contributing crucial kills. Tacoma trailed but remained within striking distance, closing the score to 17-15 after a bad set by Pierce. Despite their efforts, service errors hindered Tacoma's momentum, allowing Pierce to extend their lead.

Tacoma continued to battle, with Raniah Lemafa and Linden scoring key points. However, Pierce maintained their edge and secured the set 25-20, finishing with a kill from Fries.

Tacoma entered the fourth set trailing and initially faced a setback, falling behind 6-1 due to a strong start from Pierce, highlighted by an ace from Rayley Peterson. However, Tacoma began to rally with kills from Curtis and Lemalu, narrowing the deficit to 8-6. Tacoma then tied the score at 9-9 after a series of errors by Pierce and a block by Wilkison and Linden.

As the set progressed, Tacoma took a slight lead, 13-10, propelled by a service ace from Mircea Campos and a kill by Curtis. Pierce responded, leveling the score at 18-18 before both teams traded points, resulting in another tie at 22-22. Tacoma gained momentum with Linden's kill and Curtis's service aces, moving to a 24-24 tie.

In a tense finish, Tacoma claimed victory with two consecutive service aces from Curtis, followed by a block by Wilkison on Tauiliili's attack, closing the set at 26-24. This secured the set for Tacoma, overcoming Pierce's initial lead.

Harris led the team with 31 assists while also contributing 15 digs over the course of three sets. Lemalu posted a team-high 16 points, tallying 16 kills with a .237 hitting percentage. Linden added 11 kills on 34 attempts, finishing with three total blocks. Curtis recorded nine kills and 15 digs, while also serving two aces.

Tauiliili led the Raiders with 36 assists and contributed three solo blocks over the four sets. Fries was the top scorer, amassing 15 kills and 15 points. Peterson added to the offensive effort with 11 kills and two service aces. Janaila Roeurth was active defensively, recording 14 digs while also contributing nine kills.

The Titans hold a 16-14 overall record and are 3-4 in conference play. The Raiders have a 2-18 overall record and are 0-7 in conference play.

Go Titans!