WNCC volleyball ranked second in national polls

The Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team will have a little bit more to play for now that the first National Junior College Athletic Association polls have been released.

The Cougars, who are off to a blistering 21-2 start after capturing the national championship a year ago, are ranked No. 2 in the nation behind No. 1 Iowa Western Community College. WNCC was unranked in the pre-season poll that came out last month.

“It feels good but it does not mean much to me because it is only the beginning of the season,” first-year coach Giovana Melo said. “I am excited and proud of my kids but we still have so much to improve if we want to stay up there on the rankings. It is just the beginning of the season.”

The Cougars only losses this season came to the hands of Iowa Western twice at last weekend’s Central Invite in Columbus. Before that, the Cougars ran off 19 straight victories, inclduding the tournament titles at the Molten Invite in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and the Salt Lake Invite.

Melo said they rankings will give them a little bit more to play for, but she is not putting a lot of stock in them this early in the season.

“The rankings should motivate us a little but definitelyl not the motivation for our season,” she said. “We know this is only the beginning and we need to keep getting better to be able to beat teams like Iowa Western.”

WNCC has played six schools that are ranked in this week’s top 20 poll, including four of the top – Iowa Western (No. 1), College of Southern Idaho (No. 3), Salt Lake Community College (No. 4), and Missouri State University-West Plains (No. 6).

WNCC will take its No. 2 ranking into this weekend’s matches at the Pizza Hut Invite in Sterling, Colo. The Cougars will battle four opponents in two days, including a match-up with North Platte Community College, who is ranked No. 13 in the NJCAA Division II polls. The contest is slated for 3 p.m. on Friday.

The Cougars will also battle Colby Community College on Friday, and then Pratt Community College and Garden City Community College on Saturday. After that, the Cougars will be at home Sept. 18-20 for the Wyo-Braska Shootout.

“I am sure it will be good competition at this weekend’s tournament,” Melo said. “No matter who is out there, we need to play to get better every day. Every time we step on the court, we need to get better so that is our mentality.”

This year’s team did have plenty of unanswered questions when they started practice in August. Those questions were quickly answered as a number of players are listed in the top 50 of the NJCAA national statistics.

Fatima Balza, one of two returners from last year’s team, is 3^rd in blocks, 12^th in hitting efficiency, and 29^th in kills per game. Nayka Benitez, the other lone returner, is 38^th in digs per game.

Others that are listed in the individual statistic categories include Sabina Piegza 5^th in setting assists, 20^th in blocks, and 33^rd in aces; Paulina Piegza 5^th in blocking and 16^th in kills; Kaleinani Kabalis 14^th in kills and 28^th in blocking; and Naomi Flinders 14^th in blocking.

With all the success the team is having right now, Melo still thinks there is room for improvement in order to capture a second straight national title.

“We are playing really well at times,” Melo said. “But we need to be more consistent and be able to play that well for a long period of time.”