Coming off a season where they advanced to the Southern California Regional Playoffs for the first time since 2009, the Cerritos College volleyball team has eight returning players and several transfers that gives the team a look that can advance their season even farther. On Friday, the Falcons opened their season with a thrilling five-set win over host College of the Canyons, 18-25, 25-20, 25-15, 17-25, 15-11. The team will look to improve on their strong start when they travel to Santa Ana College for another 6:00 p.m. non-conference match.

One of the main strengths this season for Cerritos will not only be their versatility, but they have multiple weapons both at the front of the net, as well as the back. It's that kind of balance that has proven successful for other schools that have advanced deep into the postseason. 

The team relied heavily on all-everything Jasmine Soto-Castro (Schurr HS) last season and she started this year in mid-season form. In helping the Falcons pull out the win, Soto-Castro was one of three players with double-digit kills, as she finished with 10 to go along with six digs. She was joined by a pair of transfers that will give the Falcons multiple threats at the net. Sydney May (Los Alamitos HS/UC Santa Cruz), the daughter of Cerritos men's basketball head coach Russ May, had an extremely successful freshman year at UC Santa Cruz, but made the decision to play for the Falcons as a sophomore. May registered 11 kills, but also utilized her setting skills, as she dished out 18 assists and added nine service aces.

Sophomore Monserrat Rodriguez (Gahr HS/Long Beach City College), who played her freshman year at Long Beach City College, led the Falcons with 13 kills and only three errors, while contributing nine digs in the back row. Sophomore setter Leeya Rubio (Schurr HS) added a team-high 25 assists and also aided the team with six service aces. Returning players Brisa Cortez (Schurr HS) and Lillianna Peterson (California HS) combined for 15 kills, with Cortez recording six digs to help provide the Falcons will more offensive threats than they've had in many years.