SANTA ANA - The Dons picked up their first win of the 2012 season in straight sets over visiting Cerro Coso College in a non-conference match. The Dons (1-5) wrap up non-conference play on Friday when they host CalTech at 7:00 p.m.
The Dons set the tone early in the first game, jumping out to a 4-0 lead with two of the points coming on service aces by Christine Chavez. The Dons continued to ride the strength of service aces as they extended their lead to 10-2, getting three-straight aces from Michelle Nguyen at one point.
After grabbing a 14-6 lead later in the game, Cerro Coso (0-6) started to close the gap with a 4-0 run to make the score 14-10. The Coyotes would eventually pull within three at 18-15 but the Dons pulled away from there, outscoring Cerro Coso 7-3 to take the first set.
The Coyotes opened the second set with the first point before the Dons rattled off three-straight to take a 3-1 lead. The Dons then built their lead up to 9-5 before Cerro Coso went on a 5-1 run to tie the set at 10-10.
Cerro Coso would then take lead at 11-10 before building their largest lead of the match at 16-11. But the Dons would work their way back and tie the match at 18-18 on a Chavez kill. The Coyotes temporarily retook the lead at 19-18 but the Dons answered with kills by Marissa Kohler and Chavez gave the Dons the lead for good at 20-19 before winning the set 25-21.
The third set proved to be the easiest for the Dons despite the Coyotes scoring the first point. After a block tied the set at 1-1, Tori Sparks got back-to-back kills and Nguyen scored a service ace to give the Dons control at 4-1.
The turning point of the set, and the match, came after the Coyotes scored to make the score 13-10. The Dons followed that point with a 9-0 run to take a commanding 22-10 lead before winning the set 25-11.
Kohler led the way for the Dons with nine kills while chipping in two services aces while Netina Moemoe got 28 digs for the Dons. Violet Falealili led the team with 17 assists and Nguyen finished with six service aces in the win.