Lathrop swept host Sierra 25-23, 25-17, 25-20 Monday night, but it was not easy.

There were 15 ties and seven lead changes in the non-league match.

“This was great volleyball,” Spartans coach Toa Fa’ali’i said. “Sierra always brings it when we play against them. It’s never easy.

“They are a well-coached team, and they have some good players. I’m just glad we held it down and came up with the win.”

Gabriel Fa’ali’i paced Lathrop (2-3) with 14 kills and six digs.

“I definitely think we had the energy today,” Gabriel Fa’ali’i said. “We have a very good bench keeping us going, and whenever we didn’t have energy on the court, they were able to help us out.

“On the court, we did an amazing job of keeping each other up and having short-term memory on our mistakes.”

Marco Palomares added eight kills and eight digs for the Spartans.

“I am very proud in how we played tonight,” Palomares said. “We kept our composure and battled back from our mistakes.

“I am glad with the leadership we are showing and the chemistry we are building for the season.”

Cameron Loyola (seven kills), Tristan Rower (six digs) and Edmund Balugo (27 assists) rounded out the Lathrop attack.

The Timberwolves (2-3) kept the first and third sets close, trailing 20-19 in both of them before the Spartans pulled away in each set.

“We definitely put up a better fight in the first and third sets,” Sierra coach Danielle Deerinck said. “But waiting too long to wake up is what is killing us.

“We are starting each set very flat and taking too long to put up a fight.”

Manolo Asuncion tallied 20 digs for the Timberwolves. Landon West added seven digs, Adrian Manonsong four kills and Toan Do 16 assists.

Sierra hosts Downey Wednesday at 6 p.m. and on Friday at 6 p.m. Lathrop travels to Manteca.

Junior varsity

Lathrop 2, Sierra 1

The Spartans dropped the first set 19-25 before bouncing back to win the next two 25-22, 15-8.

Lathrop’s Bryan Gamboa and Dylan Beltran posted seven kills apiece and Marco Luna dished out 25 assists.

Kalel Lagrimas posted 17 digs and four kills for the Timberwolves. Arsch Gosal added 11 digs and seven assists with five digs and four kills for Thinh Huynh and five kills for C.J. Mahabadi.