Titans put up a fight at LCC

LONGVIEW, Wash. — Tacoma fell to Lower Columbia College in a four-set match at Myklebust Gymnasium on Thursday night, with scores of 15-25, 25-18, 16-25, and 22-25. Tacoma's effort in the second set was highlighted by a .294 attack percentage, but LCC's consistent offensive performance secured the victory.

Lower Columbia pulled ahead in the first set with a strong finish, capitalizing on Tacoma's errors to secure a 25-15 victory. Tacoma struggled with attack errors, committing nine throughout the set, which allowed LCC to build momentum. Despite Mykah Curtis contributing three kills for Tacoma, the team's service errors and attack mishaps, particularly in the later stages, hindered their ability to maintain a close score.

Tacoma seized control early in the second with a decisive 3-0 start, fueled by Curtis' service ace and Emilia Linden's kill, extending their lead to 7-2 with additional service aces from Kylee Harris. Tacoma maintained momentum with Harris contributing six assists, as the team capitalized on LCC's attack errors to secure a 25-18 victory. LCC's late efforts, including four kills from Chesney Schultz, were insufficient to close the gap. Tacoma's efficient service game and capitalizing on errors proved pivotal in the set's outcome.

Lower Columbia clinched the third set 25-16, capitalizing on Tacoma's miscues, including six service errors, which hindered their momentum. Despite Tacoma's efforts, led by Curtis with key kills, LCC's Karissa Otterstetter orchestrated a balanced attack with multiple assists, enabling Kendall Humphrey to secure crucial points. Tacoma's timeout at 22-13 attempted to shift the tide, but LCC maintained their lead with consistent offense.

Tacoma displayed resilience in the fourth set, rallying from an early 4-1 deficit to tie it at 4-4 with key kills from Leilah Lemalu and Harris. Despite a service ace from Lemalu that pushed Tacoma ahead 11-9, LCC capitalized on several Tacoma service errors and timely kills by Claire Neuman to regain control. Ultimately, Tacoma's late push fell short as LCC sealed the set 25-22 with decisive plays, including a set-clinching kill by Neuman.

Kylee Harris led the team with 31 assists and added 18 digs, showcasing her consistent playmaking. Emilia Linden contributed significantly to the offense with 13 kills on 33 attempts, maintaining an attack percentage of .242. Mykah Curtis added nine kills and recorded two service aces, contributing to her total of 11 points. Leilah Lemalu supported the defense with 12 digs and added eight kills, rounding out a balanced performance.

Claire Neuman led the Lower Columbia team with a strong performance, recording 11 kills with a hitting percentage of .385. She also contributed significantly on defense with a total of five blocks and 15.5 points. Karissa Otterstetter was a key playmaker, delivering 31 assists and maintaining a perfect setting record with no errors. Kamryn Sande was a standout in defense, leading the team with 15 digs, while Lillian Halberg added 14 digs and three service aces to the team's efforts.

Tacoma holds an overall record of 18-16 and stands at 5-6 in their conference play. LCC has an overall record of 13-9 and is 9-2 in their conference contests.

Go Titans!