The volleyball team hosted Bay Valley Conference leader Yuba College (15-7 overall and 13-1 in the BVC) and kept the search for its elusive first victory alive, dropping straight sets 25-11, 25-13 and 25-7 again on Friday in the Gymnasium.

After falling in straight sets to Laney College, which is on a three- game winning streak, earlier in the week on Tuesday, Contra Costa College (0-13 in the BVC) had to set realistic goals in order to find any morsel of positivity to take from this late season contest.

“We knew we were playing the number one team in the league so we wanted to focus on playing hard from the beginning until the end of the game,” Comet coach Christy Tianero said.

“It is a game where if one player stops working hard then the others will too. We just want to keep building on what we’ve learned and continue to improve.”

The team will again measure its progress against the College of Alameda on Friday in Alameda at 6 p.m.

The 49ers pounced on the Comets early.

After trailing 2-1 early in the first set, Yuba began to target openings in CCC’s defense. The 49er outside hitter Ava Payton tied together a string of eight consecutive points, forcing Tianero to call a timeout to settle her team down.

The call proved successful and as play resumed, a block by Comet middle blocker Alejandra Galvez (four kills, seven digs) gave her team the ball.

The home squad reeled off three straight points, bringing the score to 13-5.

“I have been working really hard, and not missing practice,” CCC middle hitter Mariah Marinho (three spikes, one dig) said. “I can see improvement — I just want to keep it up.”

Throughout the course of the season, volleying for the Comets has improved but executing on scoring opportunities remains lackluster.

With meetings at the net, and shots along the line seemingly all going in the 49ers favor, Yuba quietly put together an 8-3 run.

A scoring drop shot by CCC middle hitter Skylar Moore (two kills, five digs) and another block score by Galvez pushed the Comets over the double-digit mark.

“I was not there when we played (Yuba) the first time but I heard it was tough and that they were a good team,” Moore said. “After the first game I feel we were well prepared for this game.”

Another thunderous spike by Payton ended the set at 25-11.

Feeling some speck of momentum swinging in its favor, the Comets opened the second set ready to do battle with Yuba.

But Payton blasted a shot by CCC setter Paula Sanchez (three spikes, two digs), only to have Galvez return the favor by tying the set at two.

Sanchez still showed some signs of life for the Comets, meeting the Yuba middle blocker at the top of the net and forcing the ball to the Yuba side for the Comet point.

The effort was for naught, and CCC fell in the second set 25-13.

As in the previous set the Comets came out battling.

Yuba held its best player out of the final set but it was not enough of a break to allow CCC back into the contest.

The Comets dropped the final set 25-7.