Cougars Take Cuesta to Five Sets in Another Close Contest

The Lassen College women’s volleyball team showed tremendous heart in their second match of the day, battling Cuesta College in yet another five-set thriller on August 29 in Lemoore. After dropping the first set, the Cougars stormed back to win sets two and three but couldn’t close it out, eventually falling 3–2 (17–25, 25–18, 25–15, 7–25, 7–15). The match marked the second time in a week that Lassen pushed Cuesta to five sets, proving this Cougar squad can compete with anyone.

Olive Chandler led the offensive effort with 9 kills on 26 swings, while Abby Robles added 4 kills and Mackenzee Sills contributed 3 kills and 10 digs. Kennidi Smith chipped in with 2 kills on 7 attempts without an error, hitting a solid .286. Lucy Platz continued to quarterback the offense with 10 assists, 11 digs, and 3 service aces, while Pacey Harris added 11 digs and 3 aces of her own from the service line.

The Cougars stayed aggressive behind the line, totaling 10 aces and committing only 11 service errors across five sets. While the team’s hitting percentage was modest at .044, Lassen’s serving pressure and backcourt defense kept them in the fight. The Cougars tallied 53 total digs, with consistent defensive efforts from Harris, Platz, and Sills helping to extend rallies throughout the match.

While Lassen couldn’t seal the win, the team’s energy and refusal to back down stood out. With back-to-back close matches under their belts, the Cougars are building resilience early in the season. They'll aim to convert these tight games into wins as they continue to grow and prepare for conference play.