Despite great play from graduating sophomores Daniel Rodrick and Corey Palmer, the Warriors volleyball team lost to Santa Monica College in five sets April 8.
The Warriors (1-9) tried to end their disappointing season on a high note and end the nine-match losing streak, but the Corsairs came back after being down 2-1 to win the match 21-30, 30-28, 30-28, 25-30, and 11-15.
It was the final match for three sophomores, setter Rodrick, outside hitter Palmer and libero Sam Tejada.
The game began with the team and fans honoring the three Warriors by announcing each of their stats and presenting them with leis.
The men responded well to the pregame festivities by winning two out of the first three games.
“We played really well,” Rodrick said. “We had a lot of energy and basically had nothing to lose.”
The good start by the Warriors was led by Rodrick, who finished his EC career as the college’s all-time leader in sets.
The men then seemed to lose focus and dropped precious points to the Corsairs by missing serves and allowing easy balls to fall due to a lack of communication.
“We just weren’t talking to each other on the court and lost a lot of points because of it,” freshman libero Craig Narr said.
Santa Monica took advantage of the Warriors’ miscues by winning the last two games and finishing the match with setter Matt Atkins’ kill in game five.
“(EC) were kind of leaving me open whenever I would go up to set (the ball),” Atkins said. “I just saw my opening and nobody could get to the ball.”
The season did not go the way the Warriors hoped, but the team is young and still has a lot of hope for next year.
Although the Warriors will lose their leading setter in Rodrick and their leader in kills in Palmer, they are optimistic that their record will be better next year.
“This season was a great learning process for us,” freshman libero Stephen Bernabe said.
“We are a pretty young team and a lot of us are going to be back next year. I think we’ll be a lot better.”
“We are only graduating three sophomores so we’re a pretty young team,” coach Dick Blount said.
Of the 17 men that finished the 2009 season, fourteen are expected to return, giving the Warriors much needed leadership.
“Next year, a lot of players are returning, so we should have quite a bit of experience.”