3 minute read
Sports briefs
The Pierce College women’s water polo team played a rough match against the Cuesta Cougars losing 19-7 on Wednesday, Oct. 8, at Steven E. Schofield Aquatic Center.
“Cuesta is a really good team so we’ve just been slowing the game down on our end,” Pierce’s coach Moriah Van Norman said. By the third quarter both the Brahmas and the Cougars put up two more points making the score 14-5. The next game for the Brahmas is today at Santa Barbara at 3:30 p.m.
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– Compiled by Lynn Rosado
The Pierce College women’s volleyball team defeated Mission College on Friday, Oct. 10, in the fifth set (30-28, 21-25, 19-25, 25-19, 15-9).
Mission amped up its momentum and strategic kills, as they won the second set with a score of 21-25 and the third set with Pierce losing by 6.
“I think we were expecting to beat them in 3, not in 5 but we’re all proud of the win nonetheless,” middle blocker Sofia Mastro said.
The next game for the Brahmas is today at Cuesta at 6 p.m.
Barajas also talked about the strength it takes to recover from a bad injury and that the only way to get better is fighting through it.
“Whenever he said his ankle would start to hurt, it wouldn’t actually be hurting it’s just his mind telling him that he couldn’t do it,” Barajas said.
For Lobendahn he ultimately lived up to the challenge and survived both spring workouts and summer training to make the team. Even though his team is struggling with a 1-4 record he tries to be a positive influence.
“I’m trying to keep everyone positive and show them that just because we have taken four losses in the last four weeks doesn’t mean that we aren’t capable of having a successful season,” Lobendahn said.
“I just want to instill hope in people and I want them to have faith and that this team is still a contender for the playoffs.”
“He has a great attitude, if you give him constructive criticism he “He has a great attitude, if you give him constructive criticism he doesn’t take it negatively, he takes it as a positive and he’ll fix it,” said Word’s long snapping coach, Chris Rubio.
Rubio ranked Word amongst the Top 30 long snappers in the nation for the class of 2015. Kicking and punting coach, Chris Sailer, has ranked Sutcliffe as the number one junior college kicking prospect in the nation.
“He’s one of those guys that given the opportunity he’ll be outstanding,” Sailer said. “I think he’ll find success no matter where he plays.”
Both players are hard-working and focused in making sure their game is always on point and that the Brahmas are successful.
“The one thing my dad brought up to me was that he never gave up no matter what it was and to just keep working hard. Hard work will always pay off and it did for him,” Sutcliffe said.
But Word and Sutcliffe have a special synergy that can’t be found with every kicker and long snapper duo. Bognet talked about the chemistry the players had even before Sutcliffe came to Pierce.
“They had a chemistry already and when you’re together all practice, every practice as specialists, which is what these guys are, it just builds,” Bognet said.
After hitting it off at the All-Star game, these decorated athletes have built an even stronger relationship and spend time together on and off the field.
“My dad was jokingly saying if you have a really good snapper you make sure you treat him right,” Sutcliffe said.
“If you have a really good snapper, treat him like your best friend and Blake’s one of my best friends for sure.”
The two players have built camaraderie and besides their joking demeanor on and off the field, they had nothing but praise for each other.
“No matter what, if I have a really good punt, if I have a decent punt, a bad punt, whatever it is, it doesn’t have to be a punt or just a kick in general, he [Word] will always give me props,” Sutcliffe said.
“If I had to honestly say something about Jamie, it would be that I’m really glad that he’s here,” Word said.
“Seeing him everyday and just being able to be on the field, working with him everyday and doing football stuff with him everyday, it’s a lot different than it was and I love the fact that he’s here and I would not want a different kicker.”
