The Rams women’s volleyball team played two Big 8 teams in its first two matches in the Fresno City College Crossover Tournament Sept. 14.

On Friday, the Rams played Sierra Community College for the second time this season. The week prior on Sept. 8, FCC defeated the Sierra Community College Wolverines 3 games to 1.

FCC took the first two games, lost the third and finished the match 25-23 in the final game.

FCC lost the first match of the Crossover Tournament against Sierra 3 games to 1 in its first home game double header.

After the first two games, the match score was 1-1. From there Sierra rallied to win the next two games.

The Rams struggled to keep up with Sierra on the scoreboard in the third game. Sierra’s defense was also too much for the Rams to handle.

“We are very young,” said Head Coach Tracy Ainger.

Sierra won multiple long volleys, hit aces and blocked the ball at the net. Sierra’s sophomore middle blocker, Julia Dorsey, lead the way for Sierra on the scoreboard as well as at the net.

The Rams put up a fight in the final game to no avail. Freshman outside hitters Yajaira “Yaya” Castro, Valarie Gobby and Madison Rinehart contributed on the scoreboard along with sophomore middle blocker Toni Murphy and setter Courtney Thacker.

Throughout the fourth and fifth games Castro and Dose put away aces that kept the score within reach.

The completion of long volleys by Gobby pumped up the team and energized the crowd. Murphy finished a volley that pushed the rams within six points. Sierra went on to finish the game silencing the Rams as well as the crowd.

After the loss against Sierra, the Rams re-entered the gym to compete against the No. 2 ranked junior college team in California along with the 2010 and 2011 California Community College Athletic Association State Championship (CAASC) runners up, Santa Rosa Junior College Bear Cubs. FCC beat SRJC 3-2.

“The team is more athletic than they have ever been,” said Ainger.

The Rams started the game energized and ready to play. At the beginning of the third game, the overall score was 1-1. The Rams went on to split the next two games forcing the match to go into game five where FCC delivered under pressure, winning the game 12-15 and winning the match.

After the victory over SRJC, the Rams are ranked No. 1 in the Central Valley Conference and No. 4 in California.

“The girls have impressed me with their work ethic,” said Ainger. “They have put in hard work and have done a lot on their own.”