{"id":11467,"date":"2023-04-28T21:39:45","date_gmt":"2023-04-29T04:39:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lbccviking.com\/?p=11467"},"modified":"2023-04-28T23:07:06","modified_gmt":"2023-04-29T06:07:06","slug":"no-1-vikings-head-to-finals-after-3-0-sweep-of-san-diego-mesa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbccviking.com\/?p=11467","title":{"rendered":"No. 1 Vikings head to finals after 3-0 sweep of San Diego Mesa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Vikings keep on rolling with a 3-0 sweep over the San Diego Mesa Olympians in the CCCAA state semi-finals on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this game, the Vikings improve to a 19-1 record and increase their win streak to 18 games. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first set was dominated by the Vikings as they continuously had big kills from hitters Matthew Pennala, Georgi Binev and Cole Oliver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy whole year I\u2019ve been trying to get better and get ready to go to the next level,\u201d said Oliver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first set ended with a score of 25-16 with the final point coming from a kill by Binev.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Vikings cheer together after they defeat San Diego Mesa in three sets in the CCCAA semifinals at El Camino College on April 27, 2023. The Vikings are ranked number one in the state at the community college level and currently hold a record of 19-1 this season. (Emily D\u2019Amico)<\/sub><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The second set was even more of a blowout as the score ended 25-12 thanks to a fantastic defensive effort from the Vikings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attacks from the Olympians were combated with big blocks from the Vikings by Cian Slade, Georgi Binev, Sean Nguyen and Matthew Pennala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were able to just stay together throughout the whole match, especially during those first two sets where we were just dominating,\u201d said Pennala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A slow start to the third set gave the Olympians an early edge. San Diego had solid serves, multiple kills and put the Vikings on their heels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LBCC would battle back and reclaim the lead. It was a back-and-forth affair the rest of the set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe just got lost in the moment, I think we had to recenter ourselves and luckily there was enough game left for us to do that and catch back up,\u201d said Vikings head coach Jonathan Charette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a close set, the Vikings would edge out Mesa 25-22 on a service error by the Olympians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think it was a combination of us having a lot of momentum and maybe misusing it a little bit,\u201d said Pennala, \u201cmaybe that confidence we had going into the third set turned into a little bit of cockiness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSan Diego Mesa did a good job of applying a lot of service pressure on us\u2026but the guys refocused, trusted on each other, leaned on each other and they did a good job,\u201d said coach Charette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n