News Photo by James Andersen Alpena Community College player Allison Precord (2) tries to play the ball after a tip by Mott’s Alexxis Keahey-Haney during a college volleyball match on Monday at Park Arena.

Faced with one of its toughest matchups of the season, the Alpena Community College volleyball team didn’t back down.

The Lumberjacks were swept in two matches against Mott on Monday at Park Arena, but in a matchup against the top team in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association’s Eastern Conference, ACC more than held its own.

ACC lost the first match: 17-25, 18-25, 10-25 and dropped the second match 19-25, 11-25, 23-25.

“I think we did great. I think we did a lot better than we thought we would coming into the game,” ACC coach Sarah Parsons said. “Mott’s ranked No. 1 in our conference and we’re the last in our conference, so to battle with them like we did is an awesome feeling to feel.”

Jessica Leeck had eight kills and three blocks for the Lumberjacks and Taylor Livingston had seven kills and two blocks. Alexis Trombley chipped in with 10 kills and three aces.

The Lumberjacks were tested early and often against a tough Mott front line, but ACC held its own and exchanged many long volleys with the Bears.

In the night’s first match, ACC kept the score close in the first two sets, but was hurt by late mistakes. In the third set, the Bears simply overpowered the Lumberjacks.

Mott’s ability to strike hard and fast proved to be the difference in several sets, but Parsons was impressed with her team’s defensive showing.

“We were able to block (kill attempts) and take some heat off of it so our back row wasn’t getting killed. Our back row did awesome too,” Parsons said.

The last set of the night proved to be ACC’s best. The Lumberjacks rallied from several points down early in the set to tie it 18-18. ACC took a 21-19 lead and held the lead four different times over the next several minutes. Mott kept ACC on its heels however and both teams eventually played to a 23-23 tie.

Mott ultimately finished off the set on a pair of plays by Sabrina Jarbou. She slammed down a kill to give the Bears a 24-23 lead and had a tip block on a kill attempt to finish off the match.

“I told them to never give up and give 150% and I feel like they did that,” Parsons said. “With how well they played, I don’t think the score showed it as well, but they played awesome.”

Alexis Pilarski added 24 digs for ACC, Madison Hincka had seven kills and an ace and Allison Precord had 2 kills, an ace and 36 assists.

ACC will host St Clair at 1 and 3 p.m. on Saturday at Park Arena.