By John M. Sherrard

(LONG BEACH) After winning six matches in a row, the Mounties volleyball team has dropped two of the last three matches, but still remain atop the South Coast Conference, North with a perfect 4-0 record.

In the latest setback, Mt. SAC fell to No. 18 ranked Long Beach City College Friday night in five grueling sets that went back and forth.

The Mounties (14-3 overall) also lost last week to the CCCAA No. 10 state-ranked El Camino Warriors.

However, both losses were crossover matches and Mt. SAC plays four of their last five matches in the North division with a chance to claim first place.

The next match is at home on Wednesday against L.A. Harbor at 6:00 p.m.

"We played great (Wednesday)," said Mt. SAC coach Ali Carey-Oliver of the five-set loss.  

Leading the way for the Mounties were sophomores Haley English and Erica Gumz with 18 and 16 kills respectively. They each also had ten digs.

"Haley and Erica were awesome all night," Carey-Oliver said.

Other Mountie leaders were sophomore outside hitter Makenzie Thieme (14 kills, 8 digs) and sophomore setter Carolina Urquieta (47 assists).

With no errors off of 14 attempts, freshman middle blocker Jordon Wilson had eight kills, three solo blocks and four block assists.

The team got off to a slow start in game one, losing 13-25.

The Mounties, as a team, had 19 kills in the second game, winning 26-24 to even the match at 1-1.  

The Vikings came back with a two-point win in the third game to take a 2-1 lead, but Mt. SAC evened the match (2-2) again with the 25-22 game-four win.

"We answered with some really strong hitting and defense to keep the match tight and push Long Beach to five sets," Carey-Oliver said.

"Unfortunately, we started off slow again in the fifth (game) and Long Beach's hitters capitalized on that."

The Mounties managed only six points in the 15-6, fifth-game loss.