The
Western Nebraska Community College volleyball captured their 13th
straight win in convincing fashion Friday in the first day of the Wyo-Braska
Invite.
The third-ranked Cougars swept
past Sheridan College in their first match 25-11, 25-16, 25-15 before recording
nine ace serves in a sweep over Laramie County Community College 25-11, 25-16,
25-9.
Freshman
Lauren Knox, who tallied eight kills in the LCCC win, said the Cougars played
as a unit all day.
“I
feel like we played pretty well. We were consistent and we played as a team,”
the freshman from Broomfield, Colo., said. “Every single time we play, I notice
that we are playing as a team, how much better we are getting, and it amazing
to watch.”
WNCC
did have some amazing individual performances on the first day on both offense
and defense.
The Cougars are definitely achieving
plenty of success during its 13-match winning streak from a variety of players.
On Friday, it was a multitude of players that stepped up in different phases of
the game. Knox said that depth is becoming a plus for the Cougars.
“That
depth is really big right now because we have the options to set anyone who can
put down a kill and we are confident in everyone that can,” Knox said. “Being
able to put anyone in and having them put away a ball, being scrappy and
trusting each other, it is just fun to watch.”
Against
Laramie County, who swept Seward County Community College in its season opener,
the Cougars won the first set pretty easy, but the second saw the Cougars have
to work. WNCC held a slim 15-13 before they started to put some distance on the
scoreboard. Luiza Martins followed with the final four points for the 25-16
win.
The
third set also saw a competitive match early. WNCC held a slim 10-8 lead, but
Priscila Mendes served nine straight points to go up 20-8. Know ended the match
a short time later with a hammering kill.
Knox
finished with eight kills and three digs, while Yoro Tovar had eight kills and
two blocks. Also pounding home plenty of kills was Mendes with six kills, nine
digs and four aces. Taylor VanderWerff also came up big with five kills,
followed by Kat Agson with five and Danika Youngblood with four kills and two
blocks.
Also
for the Cougars, Martins had 31 set assists, two aces and eight digs; Alex
Rivera had two set assists, two aces and 12 digs; Morgan Broussard with two set
assists and two digs; and Lindsay Wehkamp with three digs.
In
WNCC’s tournament opener against Sheridan College, the Cougars’ flashed plenty
of hitting depth as they controlled the tempo from the beginning, finishing
with a team total 34 kills, 12 blocks, and five aces.
Danika
Youngblood led the way with a double-double of 10 kills, 14 digs, and two aces.
Megan Johnson also had a big game with six kills, 14 points and an ace; while VanderWerff
had seven kills and four blocks.
Also
for the Cougars, Mendes had two kills and three blocks; Tanner had four kills
and two blocks; Knox had four kills and three blocks; Martins had 22 set
assists and five digs; Rivera had nine digs; and Broussard had five set
assists.
The
Cougars will wrap up the Invite on Saturday when they face No. 20 Central
Wyoming College at 12 noon before battling Northwest Wyoming at 4 p.m.
Knox
said they will need to keep playing tough to get two more wins on Saturday.
“I
think we need to stay consistent, stay as a team, and be humble,” she said.
Friday’s Tournament Scores
@ WNCC
LCCC over Seward County, 25-23, 25-19, 25-12
Cowley County over Western Wyoming, 20-25, 25-23, 25-15,
23-25, 15-7
WNCC over Sheridan, 25-11, 25-16, 25-15
Western Wyoming over Seward County, 25-23, 25-13, 25-22
Northwest Wyoming over Lamar, 26-24, 25-23, 25-18
Cowley County over Northwest Wyoming, 25-18, 25-14,
23-25, 25-21
WNCC over Laramie County, 25-11, 25-16, 25-9
@ EWC
Casper College over Lamar, 25-14, 27-25, 25-12
Central Wyoming over Northeastern Colorado, 25-15, 25-14,
25-21
EWC over Dawson, 25-11, 25-21, 25-16
Casper College over Northeastern Colorado, 25-15, 23-25,
25-17, 25-13
Central Wyoming over Air Force Prep, 22-25, 25-10, 25-15,
25-10
EWC over Air Force Prep, 25-14, 25-17, 26-24
Sheridan over Dawson, 26-24, 25-10, 25-19
Saturday’s Schedule
@ WNCC
10 a.m. – Cowley vs. Sheridan; Casper vs. Air Force Prep
Noon – WNCC vs. Central Wyoming
2 p.m. – Casper vs. Dawson; Cowley vs. LCCC
4 p.m. – WNCC vs. Northwest; LCCC vs. NJC
@ at EWC
10 a.m. – Northwest vs. Dawson; Western Wyoming vs. Lamar
Noon – EWC vs. Seward County; Western Wyoming vs. NJC
2 p.m. – Sheridan vs. Air Force Prep
4 p.m. – EWC vs. Lamar; Seward vs. Cowley
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