WNCC drops Casper in sophomores last home game on Oct. 20

                [Oct. 20, 2012] The Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team capped off an undefeated home campaign (12-0) but topping Casper College 25-10, 23-25, 25-14, 25-15 on Saturday night at Cougar Palace.

                It was the final home game of the six sophomores -- Danika Youngblood, Kat Agson, Megan Johnson, Taylor VanderWerff, Alex Rivera, and Tasha Meyer -- and the six helped the Cougars to their 33rd win of the season against just two defeats. It was also the team's 27th straight victory with one regular season left -- Wednesday night at Northeastern Junior College.

                Youngblood capped off her career of playing at WNCC with an exceptional night. The outside hitter from South Jordan, Utah, tallied a triple-double of 23 kills, 14 digs, 11 points and four aces. The other sophomores also put in quality time with impressive performances in their last time playing in front of the Cougar crowd.

                Johnson finished with 10 points, two aces, three kills, and two blocks; Agson had nine kills and four blocks; Rivera had 14 digs, six set assists, six points, and an ace; VanderWerff had three kills and three blocks including a solo block; and Meyer had 10 digs and three points.

                WNCC started the final home match with authority, jumping out to a9-2 lead after Johnson served four points. The Cougars pushed the lead to 12-3 on two Meyer points and went up 16-5 on three Youngblood points. Youngblood also added two back-row kills during her service run. WNCC went on to win the contest 25-12 on three Johnson service points.

                The second set was a battle. WNCC went ahead 14-9 on a Johnson kill and led 19-15 on a Youngblood kill and Johnson service point. Casper came back to take a 22-21 lead on two Fallyn Griffin points before winning the set 25-23.

                The third set was another dogfight. WNCC took a 9-6 lead before watching Casper tie the game at 9-9 on two Sydney Marchant points. WNCC came back after a Yoro Tovar kill and four Muiza Martins points for a 14-9 lead. The Cougars pushed the lead to 17-11 on a Youngblood kill and two service points. WNCC captured the third set as Lauren Knox hit a kill and then Priscila Mendes served four points with Youngblood tallying three kills for the 25-14 win.

                The fourth set was all WNCC as the Cougars vaulted to a 8-2 lead and led 15-5 on three Rivera service points, aided by two Youngblood kills. WNCC led 22-9 at one time before Casper tried a late comeback with two Stanka Panic points, but the Cougars would prevail as VanderWerff finished off the match with a kill.

                Besides the sophomores outstanding performances in their last home match, the Cougars also received outstanding performances from everyone that played. Mendes finished with seven kills and 14 digs; Martins 48 set assists, 15 digs, nine points, and an ace; Tovar had seven kills, seven points, and three blocks, and Knox had five kills and five blocks.