In a thrilling and tight match, the Long Beach City College men's volleyball team faced off against No. 1 Orange Coast College, ultimately falling short in a hard-fought battle that went down to the wire. Despite displaying moments of resilience, the Vikings succumbed to the Pirates in a nail-biting 3-2 defeat.

The set scores reflected the intense back-and-forth nature of the match, with both teams trading blows and momentum swings throughout. Orange Coast College edged out the victory with set scores of 23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 15-25, and 10-15.

Leading the charge for the Vikings was sophomore Shane Nhem, who delivered an impressive performance with 12 kills and four solo blocks, demonstrating his prowess both offensively and defensively on the court. Freshman Mohamed Benkrid also made significant contributions, matching Nhem's 12 kills and providing a crucial offensive spark for the team.

Additionally, sophomore Kameron Tufuga showcased his offensive firepower with 13 kills on 24 attacks, further bolstering Long Beach City College's offensive arsenal.

The Vikings will be back in action on Friday, Feb. 16 at Fullerton College at 6 p.m.