COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa -- Oct. 17, 2011 -- The top-ranked Western Nebraska Community College's dream of a perfect season came to a halt at the hands of No. 11 Iowa Western Community College Monday night.
The Cougars, whose last lose was last year at the regional tournament, fell in four hard-fought, emotional sets to the Reivers 25-27, 26-24, 25-22, 26-24 to move to 31-1 on the season.
With WNCC's loss to Iowa Western, there is now just one undefeated team in Division I junior College volleyball and that is Blinn College. Blinn stayed unbeaten with a sweep over Tyler Junior College 25-18, 25-23l 25-17 on Monday night. The other unbeaten team entering last weekend was Wallace State, but they fell twice at the Missouri State-West Plains Invite to Jefferson College and Missouri State-West Plains.
WNCC did, however, have some outstanding performances as four different Cougars finished with double-figure kills and five players had double-figure digs. It was just the fact the Reivers were red hot.
Debora Araujo finished with a double-double of 20 kills and 23 digs, while Danika Youngblood and Fernanda Goncalves put down double-doubles. Youngblood had 12 kills and 15 digs, while Goncalves had 15 digs, 26 set assists, and four blocks.
WNCC fell behind the eight-ball early in set one, trailing 6-1 and later 15-8 before they started to make a run. Behind the serving of Danika Youngblood, who had four points and two kills, brought the Cougars back to within 18-17.
The Cougars continued it's comeback as they came within 24-24 and later 25-25 on a Lais Soares kill. Jodi Huddleston then supplied a block and the Cougars won the first set 27-25 on a Dani Grace points.
The Cougars battle back late in the second set as well. Trailing 18-14 and later 22-18, WNCC tied the contest at 24-24 behind three Grace service points, but Iowa Western managed the last two points to even the match at a game apiece.
WNCC played really strong in the third set, vaulting to a 14-11 lead on four Grace service points. The lead, however, didn't last as the Reivers came back to tie the contest at 17-17 and later 21-21. WNCC tood a 22-21 lead on a Araujo kill, but Iowa Western had the last four points for the 25-22 win.
The fourth set was a back and forth battle between the two NJCAA ranked teams. WNCC held a 14-12 lead after three Abbey Wade service points. WNCC later led 19-16, but couldn't hold the lead as Iowa Western came back to tied the contest at 22-22 on a missed serve and won the contest 26-24 on a block at the net.
The big difference in the contest was serving as the Cougars had nine missed serves in the three sets they lost, including five missed serves in the fourth set along.
WNCC, still, had plenty of other outstanding performances as Alex Rivera finished with 21 digs and two aces; Dani Grace had 14 digs; Jodi Huddleston had 11 kills and four blocks; Lais Soares had 10 kills; and Megan Johnson had eight kills.
WNCC, 31-1, will look to get back on track Tuesday when they travel to McCook Community College for a sub-region contest against McCook Community College. The Cougars will then come home for their final home matches of the regular season when they host Northeastern Junior College on Friday and Casper College on Saturday. Both matches start at 7 p.m.
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