Volume 116 Spring 2012 Roundup Issue 4

ROUNDUP

Spring admission closed for CSUs

Kevin Reynolds kreynolds.roundupnews@gmail.com

California State Universities will be closing their admissions for the spring 2013 semester for most of their 23 campuses. This initiative will affect about

16,000 students that attend California State Universities. For the 2013-2014 school year CSU’s are considering putting prospective students on a wait list until the outcome of the November tax initiative.

Seven Hundred fifty million dollars were cut in funding for the

CSU’s last year. An additional $200 million will be cut if Gov. Jerry Browns tax proposal fails to pass in November.

This postponement will affect many Pierce College students who were hoping to transfer to a Cal State University in the spring.

“There isn’t anything we can do,”

Joanna Zimring Towne, director of career center said. “We have been telling students all year they(CSU’S) might not be open for the spring.

Most UC’s are not open for mid year transfers. Cal State Universities were usually the exception.

“There aren’t really a whole lot of options,” said Zimring Towne

Most but not all of the CSU’S will be closing their admissions.

“The campuses change their minds constantly,” Zimring Towne said. “Students should keep checking back in case things change.”

Students may be falling on hard times if the tax initiative does not go though.

There are usually anywhere between 90,000 to 700,000 fall applicants according to an article in the LA Times.

The CSU’S are attempting to reduce enrollment by 3 percent. Which would lower the number of enrolling students by 20,000 to 25,000.

In Santa Monica classes go to highest bidder

Two-tier pricing will be o ered to students who need classes to transfer

Aurora

Ramirez

/ Roundup aramirez.roundupnews@gmail.com

Santa Monica College (SMC) will be offering two-tier pricing for high demand classes beginning this summer.

Governing board approved a plan to offer certain high-demand classes for a higher price when the regular classes have filled up. This decisions has come due to budget cuts and the cut in courses offered to the 34,000 students that attend SMC, allowing students who highly need courses such as English and math a place in a class, but at a much higher cost.

On June 27, the legislature passed a budget that the state senate leader called, “Most austere budget we have seen in a generation.”

California Governor Jerry Brown signed the budget into a law on June 30, 2011, the day before the start of the fiscal year.

“This may help SMC students have a better chance in adding courses this coming semester, since we do not have a chance like other colleges to crash classes the first week of school,” said Santa Monica College student Bernardo Ruiz.

“Community-college fees will increase $10 per unit.”

Fees will be raised from $36 to $46 by the summer session.

The cost for high demand classes will be $200 a unit.

The high- demand classes will be available for SMC students as soon as the regular priced courses have filled up.

Students who qualify for FAFSA or have received Cal Grants may use these resources to cover the fees.

“Although this does not sound very fair to students,” Girade Jackson a Santa Monica College student. “If it will help those of us who are close to graduating or transferring to a University I am for it.”

SMC received a $250,000 donation by businessman Daniel Greenberg and his wife, attorney and civic activist Susan Steinhauser.

The donation from the couple is going to go through a process for students who qualify to the criteria.

“SMC is a single college district, therefore this kind of change in pricing is easier and/ or faster for them to get approved,” Bruce Rosky, Associate Vice President at Pierce College said.

This action is unlikely to happen here at Pierce College according to Rosky.

“Pierce College is part of a 9 college district, we are open access to students, which limits us with the classes we can teach depending on the money were funded, This subject hasn’t been brought up in our school and I doubt it may!” Rosky said.

Amount student fees have increased since

Bookstore manager case dismissed Kim Saunders walks away om court yesterday due to a lack of evidence

“Because of the nature of everything, this case has layers and layers,” Saunders told the Roundup after the hearing. “It would be unfair to share at this time. I want to wait until the final outcome.”

Now, the future of the case remains unclear.

“My guess is that [the DA] will next call the detective in charge of the case to see if there is any new evidence,” Pierce Sheriff’s Deputy

Ron Nohles said Nohles attended the hearing to discuss the case’s report with the DA. He was the deputy that found the money in Saunder’s desk, which led to her arrest.

“I want to be respectful to everyone,” Saunders said. “I want to be respectful to the institution.” Saunders, who had been on administrative leave since being accused of the theft, had refused to comment to the Roundup since her arrest in August until the case was

dismissed Tuesday.

There is no one currently replacing Saunders at the Student Store, and it is unclear whether she will be returning to work at Pierce. While working at Pierce, Saunders managed all workers of the Bookstore as well as the Freudian Sip.

“I hope she never comes back,” textbook buyer Holly Hagan, who worked with Saunders at the Student store, said.

Saunders was arrested for alleged embezzlement of approximately

$2,000 after the Pierce Sheriff’s station received a call reporting inconsistencies with the cashier’s money bags at the Student Store, and released on $20,000 bail.

At first, Saunders was to have her preliminary hearing on Oct. 6, but postponed her hearing date six times every month since then.

“She could have postponed it for different reasons,” Nohles said. “But she should have known that it wouldn’t just go away.”

Lior Haykeen

Ava Weintraub

Kim Saunders: Bookstore manager Kim Saunders outside the Van Nuys court hours.

Bio 3 needs labs

Unused laboratory leaves students stranded

The Biology 3 Laboratory located in the Center for the Sciences, needs to be open in it’s entirety in order for every student to be able to complete their required lab hours and pass the course.

Biology 3 is a four-unit general education course that all students must take in order for them to graduate from or transfer out of Pierce College.

According to the schedule of classes catalog for the Spring 2012 semester, the Biology 3 lab hours consist of three hours and 10 minutes of self-paced laboratory exercises to be completed by each student every week.

This means that all students have to spend at least three hours in the laboratory per week in order to pass the class.

There are eight sections of Biology 3 being offered during the day at Pierce, with approximately 60 students per section, according to the Chairperson of the Life Science department Lyn Koller. That comes out to about 480 students for the day sessions alone.

The laboratory in Center of Sciences contains two rooms with 40 computers, two demonstration tables each, and a waiting room located in between.

This means there are 39 hours of available lab time during the week, with a total of 80 computers available.

Divided among 480 students this allows each student almost seven hours of available lab time a week.

So basically, this means you just have to go, show up, complete the three-hour lab, and go home. Sounds like no big deal, an easy task to complete, right? Wrong.

Of the two lab rooms available, only one is open to students, the other one remains closed.

Not using both laboratories cuts the availability in half, from seven hours of lab time to just over three hours a week.

And as if that were not enough, three of the computers in the open lab have been out of order all semester.

So really, there are only 37 computers available for 35 hours a week, with an additional four hours on Fridays by appointment only, and that fills up fast.

This means a total of 1443 hours of lab time available during the week.

Ultimately, this equates to only three hours of valuable lab time available to each student during the week, making completing three hour and 10 minute labs impossible.

Considering that the majority of students work jobs and have other classes besides Biology, there is very little time at their disposal.

Accommodating the lab hours often means two hours in the waiting room, before students even get to start their three hour lab.

The Life Science department must open both rooms at least 45 hours per week so all students have time to complete their assignments.

When asked what will it take for the Pierce College administration to let the Life Science department open the second lab room, Koller simply responded that there has to be more Biology 3 sections offered for that to happen.

Adding more sections would not help the current situation in any way, it might actually make it worse. Something has to be done now before students fail. However, with different sections being cut every semester it seems likely the lab will stay closed, destroying the possibility of making Biology 3 student’s lives a just a little easier.

Biology 3 Laboratory Hours: Mondays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m..

Tuesdays - Thursdays: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fridays: 8 a.m. to noon (by appointment)

Student debt out of control

Forgiving student loans would be a step toward securing the futures of college students.

Students need these loans in the thick of all these budget cuts decaying our educational institutions. How else are they going to afford attending universities?

Dismissing loans would relieve struggling families buckling from the weight of the nation’s debt, especially here in California where we have the highest increase in tuition in the country.

Student loan debt in the U.S. is nearing the $1 trillion mark, according to the Student Loan Debt Clock at FinAid.org

This is beyond ridiculous. Our debt problem has gone so out of hand that we are way past the point of no-return.

Opinion

Jonathan Tucker jtucker.roundupnews@gmail.com

Two-year community college graduates make up almost 50 percent of all borrowers of loans under $5,000.

Graduates at public four-year institutions make up around 40 percent of borrowers of loans from $20 to $50 thousand dollars.

Students and their parents are being overrun by this loan crisis and the negative trend does not project a positive-looking future.

Forgiving student loans would put tens of thousands of dollars back into the pockets of people who need it most, parents trying to raise educated children and independent students struggling to secure a future.

The average loan that parents have to pay back is $34,000. After a 10-year repayment plan that number edges closer to $50,000, according to Forbes. com.

More money in people’s pockets means more consumer spending,

Letter to the editor

Response to: “Math class to be cut in fall 2012,” March 7

Dear Editor,

stimulating the economy while creating more jobs.

Today’s students have to weigh the benefits of getting a college degree or just hopping right into the workforce, with increased tuition in combination with student loan debt, how long will it be before education becomes a luxury?

The fact of the matter is that right now opportunities are being placed behind a daunting financial obstacle that is worsening with every passing year.

All while future plans and goals of back-breaking graduates are being delayed due to this paralyzing amount debt that much.

This student loan crisis is stifling the economy and is restricting an entire generation’s lives, forgiving student loans will restore the American dream.

On behalf of the Transfer Center I would like to respond to the article published on March 7th “Math class to be cut in fall 2012”. The majority of the article was right on point.

As a college, we have had to make some very difficult decisions and changes to our course offerings. However we have made every effort in our schedule planning to maintain transfer pathways so that students can continue to take courses that count towards transfer. One critical area for transfer is math. That’s why I felt it was important to clarify something that was incorrectly stated. While it is true that Math 245 will no longer be offered at Pierce beginning in the fall 2012 term, we do have another 3-unit math option for UC and CSU transfer students: Statistics 1. This is a great 3-unit math option for the many students whose majors do not require a specific math course. I encourage all students to meet with a counselor to verify the requirements for transfer because they differ by major and by transfer university. Counseling appointments are available Monday through Friday. Students can also “drop-in” to the center to have quick questions answered.

We also have a series of transfer workshops to help you with this information. Please take the time to find out the right courses to meet your individual transfer goals. For more information, please see the transfer center website for our calendar of events. Thank you, Sunday Salter, Transfer Center director www.piercecollege.edu/offices/transfer_center/

Maria Salvador

msalvador.roundupnews@gmail.com

As loan crisis nears $1 trillion, something has to be done

Maria Salvador

Dean retires amidst odd circumstances

will be Tuesday.”

Still, Whalen’s reasons for retiring remain a mystery.

Sniffing for funds: One of the 20 cows living in a cattle station at the Pierce College Farm comes in for a closer look on March 5, 2012.

Farm Walk to raise funds

Fundraiser is planned to collect money for Pierce

The Agriculture Department hopes to raise enough money during their only major fund raising event April 22 to help feed the farm’s animals, and to give the community an enjoyable experience.

Farm Walk will include cow milking, sheep sheering and wool spinning displays to entertain and inform those who participate in the Farm Walk.

“We’re trying to have as many contests as possible to get the community involved,” student volunteer team leader Stacy Carpio said. “We always try to do something different every year.”

Also, competitions, such as pieeating contest, will be featured in this year’s event.

Community members, faculty and student volunteers from Pierce will

be lending a helping hand during the event.

“The community is really starting to get involved and we’ve been receiving a lot of generous donations,” said Carpio. “They are coming in and caring for the animals and are willing to help so we don’t get shut down.”

Agriculture Department Chair Leland Shapiro has a strong belief that the community plays an important role in keeping the farm active at Pierce.

“I believe the farm belongs to the community, and we wouldn’t exist

without their support,” Shapiro said. Volunteering and donations from the community has played a large part in helping the farm raise funds to help feed and care for the animals.

In addition to attending this annual fund raising event, people can donate to the Pierce College Farm at accounts opened through the Foundation for Pierce College.

The “Adopt a Cow” account, opened and managed by Shapiro has been available for donation for about five years, Shapiro said.

Shapiro is now saving the money in this account to buy a truck and a

trailer for the hay at the farm. He will buy those once he has the money.

The second account, set up by Pierce College President Kathleen Burke-Kelly, was opened due to recent concerns about the farm’s financial stability, Burke-Kelly said.

This account is targeted to raise awareness to the farm’s problems, she said.

She does not know how much money in the account, but the account is planned to be publicized by the Foundation.

The Department of Agriculture is hoping to reach a $5,000 goal to help feed the animals and provide an experience for the community to enjoy.

“Where else can you get to experience all this in the valley?” said Carpio. “It’s going to be a great event and a really unique experience for everyone.”

Farm Walk will be between 9:3010:30 a.m. in Parking Lot 8.

Yajayra Gil ygil.roundupnews@gmail.com

The annual 24-hour Relay for Life in Woodland Hills will take place at Pierce College beginning April 28 at 9 a.m.

The money raised will help further research by the American Cancer Society.

“[Cancer] is a terrible disease that affects so many people,” Dean of Research, Planning, and Enrolment Management Carol Kozeracki said.

A dean of eight Pierce College departments announced his retirement March 2, while the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) considered to dismiss him due to unprofessional conduct and being unfit for service.

Pierce College President Kathleen Burke-Kelly notified Pierce faculty about Paul Whalen’s retirement through an e-mail containing a letter, and did not specify the reasons for his leave.

According to the LACCD Board agenda, the district was to consider Whalen’s dismissal March 7.

Whalen worked at the college for more than 40 years, and was heartbroken when choosing to retire, Senior Secretary of Academic Affairs Aaron Chan, who worked with Whalen daily in the past year, said.

Whalen’s retirement, which took effect March 6, surprised the administration.

“It was a shock to everybody,”

Vice President of Academic Affairs Anna Davies said March 8. “He announced Friday that he will be retiring, and asked that his last day

“I can’t tell much in light of the situation,” Chan said. “But he wasn’t ready to retire.”

Whalen did not return phone calls or emails seeking comment.

Whalen was the dean of the Art and Architecture department, English department, Media Arts department Modern Languages department, Music department, Speech Communication department, Pierce Online, and Theater and Dance department.

Administration is not seeking to replace him because the college is looking to save money, Pierce College President Kathleen Burke-Kelly said during an Academic Senate meeting. Instead, his role will be divided amongst the deans left on campus.

Whalen retired suddenly, and Burke-Kelly had not announced his retirement until two weeks later because she was away at a conference in Dallas, she said at an Academic Senate meeting.

“Academic Affairs will be working with Paul to organize an event recognizing his long service to the college,” Burke-Kelly said in the letter she sent to Pierce faculty and staff.

Sheriff’s Blotter

Burglary: March 13 - Locker broken into in North Gym. Wallet was stolen.

Petty theft: March 13 - A bicycle was stolen from Village 8400 building.

Petty Theft: March 20 - A man’s bicycle was stolen from the bicycle racks at the South Gym.

Kozeracki, who is the event’s chair of the planning committee, has been involved with Relay for Life since its first year.

There will be teams participating in the relay the members will take turns walking the track for the entire event, said Kozeracki.

The event will begin with a cancer survivors’ lab.

There were 30 teams in last year’s Relay for Life, she said.

On the night of April 28, participants will be taking part in the

Luminaria ceremony. The soccer field will be outlined by lit-up white paper bags bearing the names of people who have survived or died of cancer.

There were approximately 600 to 700 white bags during last year’s Luminaria, Kozeracki said.

“I think [cancer] is the hardest thing you go through,” said Associated Students Organization President Shane Mooney, who will be the head of the ASO team in the relay.

Ava Weintraub

One of Pierce’s oldest traditions

Student orchestra brings together a variety of skilled musicians to perform classics

Nadim Abu-Hasmeh nabuhasmeh.roundupnews@gmail.com

High up on the Art Center on campus resides the meeting place for the Pierce College Student Orchestra, a class of experienced musicians being conducted and instructed under the wing of professor James Domine. Domine is a musician himself and can play several different instruments. During class he’ll show off his skills by playing and leading the students along to the music.

In MUSC 3400, the orchestra meets every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. or 7p.m. depending on Domine’s schedule. They meet to sharpen their skills and communicate about—well, the musical things in life.

“We usually have a group of around 18 to 25 students in the class each semester, and the ages and skill levels always vary,” Domine said.

The varied background and experience of each player may sound inviting for onlookers that are curious to join, however Domine stresses that the course is meant for students who

have a visible proficiency with orchestral instruments.

“It’s great to hear kids wanting to learn more about this kind of music”, Domine said, but he recommends the available introductory courses offered for students on campus before they decide to join the orchestra.

Though the class is comprised mostly of string instrumentalists, additional textures including specific wind and percussion instruments are sometimes added in for concerts as well as solo performances.

“We’ve had alumni among other outside performers come and play with us, including members of the San Fernando Valley Symphony,” he said.

The orchestra has been around long before Domine’s hiring, long enough for it to be called a Pierce tradition.

“Before I was hired, a man named Ronald Taylor was at the head of this orchestra which has been around since 1959,” Domine said.

The types of music preferred by Domine are mostly from the Baroque and Classical eras simply to compliment the relatively specific size of the orchestra class.

Domine mentioned a Clarinet Concerto by the early-Romantic composer Carl Weber and Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons as a few

Club teaches peace can be found on-campus

Inner peace can now be attained by Pierce College students thanks to the newest club on campus the Inner Peace Club

The Inner Peace Club is the newest club on campus and their goal is to help students learn and experience peace within oneself.

The club is based on the peace teachings of Prem Rawat, who according to club founder Victor Stephen Kamont, teaches inner peace by exploring and developing the inside of oneself.

Kamont stated that Rawat gives the gift of knowledge and free of charge.

“The reason why it’s free,” Kamont said “is because it

is priceless. You would not be able to [put a price on] it.”

According to Kamont, Rawat has been all over the world teaching about peace. Some cities around the world have given Rawat the key to the city, most recently London stated Kamont.

Rawat has also established The Prem Rawat Foundation.

According to tprf.org the foundation strives to help with human needs that include food, water and peace.

“Peace is possible,” Kamont said “it needs to be felt.”

The club currently does not have a meeting place, but they do have 20 or more members according to Kamont.

The club does have a website where current and new members can visit to watch videos on the teachings of Rawat. The website is wopg.org.

The videos are lectures that Rawat has given and each help the individual reach their inner peace.

To achieve inner peace, according to Kamont, the viewer must watch a series of videos. Once the viewer has gone through the videos and feels ready to learn inner peace they viewer can ask to learn about the techniques to achieve innner peace free of cost.

Kamont stated that he would like for the club to meet on Monday nights at 5pm, but due to the members conflicting schedules and depending on what the ASO states, no location has been determined yet.

Kamont has a Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ groups/innerpeaceclub. Although the page just went up Kamont plans to use the group as way for club members to communicate and a place to watch Rawat’s videos.

“The most wonderful experience you can have,” Kamont said “is to know that everything you want is on the inside and not the outside.”

examples of

the music played each semester. Last year, the orchestra played Mozart’s 20th Piano Concerto for the semester concert. They are currently planning on performing works by Joseph Haydn during the Spring concert in May.

Carlos Islas cislas.roundupnews@gmail.com

Jose Romero

Finding his center: Victor Stephen Kamont looks for peace

Sonia Gurrola

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: Professor and conductor James Domine instructs the orchestra by playing along.

Sonia Gurrola

CONCERT MASTER: Christian Munoz practices for upcoming concert.

Upcoming Activities & Performances

Sisters speak OUT

Human rights activists perform at Gay Straight Alliance Club

Taylor Rouch trouch.roundupnews@gmail.com

Any other day, seeing four grown men walk into a room wearing dresses, thick white make-up, fake eyelashes, and coronets with lace veils might shock you, but these are the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and their appearance has a purpose.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are dressed as drag queen nuns from a Halloween Party but their symbolism has more to do with the fact that they help the gay community in the same way the nuns help the Catholic Church, said The Sisters.

The Sisters met with the Gay

Straight Alliance Club in The Village room 8345 on March 14 to speak about the purpose of the non-profit organization they volunteer for.

The Sisters are not only inspirational speakers for the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transsexual (L.G.B.T.) community, they are also charity workers for fundraising events.

“One of our goals is to make it easier on those in the lifestyle and help them to be proud of who they are,” Sister Margaret Snatcher said.

A hairy older man wearing what looks like a little girl’s summer picnic dress would not usually be

Free

taken seriously, yet in the case of the passionate “Sister Barbie-Q” you know he believes in what this organization promotes.

“No matter what we are, what color we are, or what we wear it’s about helping the community,” Sister Barbie-Q said.

He also spoke of how the reward is not fiscal but more spiritual.

“You can’t imagine the connection that happens when you put yourself out there and help,” Barbie-Q said.

Sister Lucy-Furr spoke about the calling people have that leads them to work so selflessly for others.

Lucy-Furr’s calling, other

than working with the sisters, is to help the L.G.B.T. youth escape methamphetamine addiction. Lucy told The Roundup he was hooked for 12 years of his life.

The Sister’s work was in progress that day as a female G.S.A. club member bonded with “Sister Sadie Masqueradie” over their similar cerebral caused social disabilities and alternative sexual orientations.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’s next event will be a baseball game at Fairfax Highschool called the “Drag Queen World Series” featuring The Sisters vs. the West Hollywood Cheerleaders.

concert features Mozart melodies by UCLA students

Valasek kvalasek.roundupnews@gmail.com

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) students performed a violin concert Thursday in the Arts Center at Pierce College.

Every Thursday at 12:45 p.m. since the beginning of March there have been free concerts in the Music Building in classroom 3400.

“We don’t do all of the concerts but we have the opportunity [to play at Pierce],” UCLA violin major Luke Santonastaso said.

Students from UCLA are nominated to get a chance to perform at Pierce.

The students performing last Thursday’s String Showcase concert played music of Ludwig Van Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach,

Fritz Kreisler, and Sergei Prokofiev.

Students not even in music classes came to visit just to listen to the music.

“Some friends told me about it so I thought I’d come check it out,” criminal justice major Nino Linao said. “I had some free time.”

Each UCLA student played a different piece of music from different composers.

“They all had their own theme to it,” Linao said. “The first one was sad and then it was fear and [the music] transitioned to happy.”

One of the performers, violin major Miguel Aguirre, has been playing for 14 years and was inspired by mariachi musicians.

“I just saw a violin and decided I wanted to be a violinist,” Aguirre said.

The performers must consistently practice their instruments to keep their talents strong.

“Ideally [they should practice] three to five hours a day,” Santonastaso said. “Practically speaking an hour [of practice] a day.”

Santonastaso has been playing the violin for 16 years starting at the age of five.

“I started in elementary school in group classes. It was an after school thing not private classes,” Santonastaso said. Being able to play the violin is no easy task at all.

“What we’re doing isn’t natural to the body,” Santonastaso said.

The UCLA students enjoy the chance to showcase their talent and skill in front of the Pierce College community.

“This is a really great opportunity for us to perform,” UCLA violin major Annamarie Arai said. “Especially since you guys are learning about it. It’s a win-win situation.”

Angela Tafoya

SISTER ACT: Sisters Margaret Snatcher (left) and Barbie-Q give words of encouragement to Gay Straight Alliance Club attendees.

Kristen Aslanian

Playoff Potential?

Currentlysecond to last place in the Western State south conference, will the Pierce College baseball team make it to playoffs? The season is still very early with 15 games still left to play in conference. Pierce has won two out of the past seven games, coming off a 5-4 win against Glendale College. The potential for Pierce to rally themselves to playoffs is still in reach.

Photos by: Joe Kukuczka and Kristen Aslanian

Above:Pierce Colleges outfielder Cody DeSpain dives attempting to catch a fly ball in left field onMar. 13, 2012 at Joe Kelly Field, Pierce College,Calif. in their game against Glendale College. DeSpain missed the catch. Top Middle: Pierce Colleges pitcher Ryan Blakely throws against Glendale College Mar. 13, 2012 at Joe Kelly Field Pierce College, Calif. Blakely pitched a full seven innings only giving up four runs. Bottom Left: Pierce College’s short stop Fernando Gallegos throws to first base for the out against Glendale College Mar. 13, 2012 at Joe Kelly Field, Pierce College,Calif.

Bottom: Pierce Colleges gloves and hats sit in the dugout during their matchup against Glendale College. Pierce beat Glendale 5-4.

—TENNIS—

—MEN’S VOLLEYBALL—

The men’s volleyball team lost three of four matches against the El Camino Warriors Friday, but not without putting up a fight.

“A game can be won or lost in the beginning, middle or end of a set,” Brahmas assistant coach Lance Walker said.

During the first match (25-22) the Brahmas kept the lead with the score going back and forth a point for both sides, but once the Brahmas hit 20 points the Warriors started pushing them back.

Middle blockers Ian Zavala and Daniel Williams, along with opposite hitter Joel Pederson and outside hitter Jon Griffith, were dropping the hammer with their intense spikes.

“We got I think 19 kills,” Brahma setter Ray De Leon said.

Previous back-to-back losses combined with the drive to regain a footing for the playoffs pushed the Brahmas to fight harder than ever for victory against the Santa Barbara Vaqueros.

Pierce men’s tennis team beat the Vaqueros Thursday, 5-4, mirroring the last time the teams met at Pierce last February that resulted in defeat, 4-5.

That loss against the Vaqueros in February remained fresh in the mind of the players and coach alike.

“We definitely turned the tide this time and I feel the next couple of matches will be good,” head coach Rajeev Datt said.

After the 1-8 loss against Mt. San Jacinto, the 3-6 loss against Ventura, and the absence of still-injured topplayer David Engelberg the team managed to valiantly overcome these obstacles

The Brahmas also kept up their defense with Ian Zavala, Jon Griffith, and Ray De Leon making a wall against the Warriors.

The second match is where the Brahmas shined. They won by eight points, ending the match 25-17.

“The first game we came out, played well and flopped in the second one, and came back in the third and fourth,” El Camino Warriors outside hitter Hunter Hovland said.

De Leon made an ace serve for the Brahmas and then outside hitter Alex Jones scored a point with a hammered spike.

The Warriors started off with a strong lead in the beginning of the third match. The Brahmas weren’t able to recover, making the Warriors the victors (25-20).

“They just had a strong attack,” De Leon said.

The Warriors kept playing hard on the offense.

“On the other team if it’s not broke don’t fix

with the drive to reach the upcoming playoffs.

“As long as we can split with Ventura in the next game, we should make team [playoffs],” Datt said. The singles ended with a tense, best of three set battle between Pierce’s Thales Castro and Santa Barbara’s Troy Akin, finishing in the Vaqueros favor.

Castro was down 4-6 after the first set, then Akin was down 6-4 in the next, with Akin tying it up and winning it in the final set.

Though both teams won

three sets in the singles, the doubles is where Pierce came out on top with a 2-1 total victory.

Sean Dullaghan and Moises Cardenas took an 8-6 win in the doubles games, as well as Patrick Massey and Castro finishing off the lead with an 8-4 win.

“I’m proud of the team,” Datt said. “The past few weeks have been a bit heavy but we’re still doing quite well,” The next scheduled match is at Bakersfield, Thursday, March 22 at 2 p.m.

it. What they were doing was working,” said Walker. This was a surprise even for the Warriors.

“We don’t usually play well in the third game,” Hovland said.

After the Brahmas beat the Warriors twice last year, the Warriors were especially glad to win this game.

The Brahmas’ loss was due to some defensive problems, even though defense is usually their specialty.

“We weren’t getting the normal blocks and digs we normally get,” De Leon said.

The Warriors took another strong lead during the fourth match, while the Brahmas were misjudged hits and served too far out. Violations were being called, costing the Brahmas points.

The match ended with a home loss to the Brahmas.

“It is a home game so you want to protect the home court advantage,” Walker said.

BLOCK: Alex Jones (left) and Ian Zavala (right)

against

Camino College.