Chargers Host Tri-Match in 2025 Home Opener
Cypress battles tough competition in front of home crowd to kick off the season
CYPRESS, CA - The Cypress Chargers Women's Volleyball team (0-3) hosted a tri match on home court with San Diego Miramar (2-2) and Santa Barbara City (2-0) as the visiting teams.
Game 1 - Cypress vs SD Miramar (L, 3-0)
The Chargers got off to a shaky start in the first set, quickly trailing 1-7. However, they stormed back thanks to early offensive contributions from Audrey Perez and a clutch ace that energized both the team and the crowd. Cypress tied the set at 8 after forcing a Miramar error, and continued to battle point-for-point. Down 16-22, the Chargers mounted an impressive rally, led by Adaeze Handy who delivered back-to-back kills to tie the game at 23. Despite their momentum, Miramar edged out the set 25-23 in the closing moments.
In the second set, Cypress struck early with strong defensive play and a kill by Audrey Johnson to go up 2-1. Although the Jets pushed ahead, standout performances by Addison Riddle and Faith Martin kept Cypress within striking distance. Riddle's deceptive plays and powerful kills brought the Chargers close late in the set, narrowing the gap to 20-24. But once again, Miramar closed out the set with composure, winning 25-20.
The third set began with a string of Miramar errors that gave Cypress an early boost. Keilyn Flores and Riddle contributed key kills, and libero Jasmine Kastner added a service ace to keep Cypress within reach. However, San Diego Miramar regrouped and capitalized on critical points, taking the final set 25-14 and securing the match victory.
Game 2 - Cypress vs Santa Barbara City (L, 3-0)
The opening set was tightly contested, with Cypress trading points early behind the attacking efforts of Amanda Kalpakoff, who recorded three kills in the first 10 points. Faith Martin and Addison Riddle also added key kills, while Audrey Perez served up an ace to give the Chargers a 14-12 lead. Cypress forced Santa Barbara into a timeout with a 16-12 advantage, but the Vaqueros stormed back late, capitalizing on Charger errors to even the score at 23-23. Kalpakoff delivered another kill to push Cypress ahead 24-23, but Santa Barbara held firm and closed the set, 26-24.
The second set proved tougher for the Chargers. A slow start put them in a 0-3 hole, and despite kills from Riddle, Martin, and Dahlia Gonzalez, Santa Barbara extended its lead. Cypress showed moments of strong blocking and great line detection, but unfortunate errors allowed the Vaqueros to pull away for a 25-14 win.
In the third set, Cypress fought to regain momentum. Back-to-back kills from Martin and a four-point run brought the Chargers within striking distance at 11-11, electrifying the home crowd. However, Santa Barbara responded with an eight-point run of their own, fueled by tough serving and balanced offense. Despite a diving save from Riddle and kills from Gonzalez and Adaeze Handy, the Vaqueros sealed the match with a 25-12 victory.
UP NEXT: The Chargers host another match on Tuesday, September 2nd at 6:00 pm, as they take on Mt. San Jacinto College.
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