The
pre-season No. 1 ranked Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team
displayed plenty of power, height and heart as the Cougars wrapped up
pre-season workouts with scrimmages Friday at Hastings College and Saturday at
Cougar Palace with the annual Blue-Gold scrimmage.
And,
after Saturday's scrimmage, the Cougars are ready to head into the regular
season with lots of swagger as they open the season next weekend at the Reiver
Invite in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Sophomore
Allora Tanner was quite impressed with the amount of improvement from Friday's
scrimmage in Hastings and the home inter-squad scrimmage at Cougar Palace.
"[Friday]
was our first scrimmages and it id always exciting when you start playing and
scrimmaging different people when you have a brand new team," Tanner said.
"But, you know what, we realized we have a lot more to work on after
Friday. We have a lot of excitement and new girls and we love to work hard. We
have a lot of potential that we see and we are growing right now
hardcore."
The
Cougars definitely picked it up on Saturday, where the Blue team topped the
Gold team in four sets 25-20,21-25,25-15, and 25-16.
Tanner said it really doesn't matter who won, what stood out was the talent
that this team possesses.
"I
told our team before the scrimmage let's just have fun," she said.
"We know what we have to work on but let's have fun. It is a fun time and
just have fun out there. Let's just go out and play hard and leave everything
on the court."
While
no statistics were kept and the coaches were coaching from all areas of the
court, both teams flashed plenty of power along the frontline in terms of
hitting and blocking. Tanner was one of the highlights for her team on the
rightside while freshman Kayla Martin held down the outside and Kylie Fa'amoe
was a force in the middle.
"I
am so excited for it [the power of the hitters]," Tanner said. "We
are also a lot taller this year than last year and I like that. We have some
big hitters that go and hit hard and straight down. I like to see that."
Other
members of the winning team included sophomore Luiza Martins, and freshmen
Amanda Schoene, Erika Goodwin, and Rachael McCracken.
The
Gold team also showcased plenty of hitting power, led by sophomores Lindsay
Wehkamp and Priscila Mendes, and freshmen Gabriela Varela and Leticia SIlva.
Tanner
said they improved plenty from Friday's scrimmage to Saturday.
"Yes
we did get better," she said. "Of course we have those things that we
need to work on and we each have goals that we have to work and focus on each
day. But we have learned so much from all the coaches and we really admire
them. We take to heart what they say and we work hard."
As
much as the Cougars showcased their hitting potential, the two setters ran the
offense to a T. Martins guided the Blue team and Gering's Morgan Broussard
guided the Gold team.
Finding
a libero will be a difficult job and it is not because of lack of talent. Head
Coach Giovana Melo has four players that are battling for that position,
including sophomore Kasey Lafitaga, and freshmen McCracken, Goodwin, and
Cassandra Hernandez.
While
the team has plenty of talent and depth, Tanner said that strength of the team
will be the heart for the game that they put out on the court.
"Honestly,
it is our heart," Tanner said. "We all want it [a national title] so
much and are working so hard for it. We have a goal and we will put our heart
into and let it [our hearts] take us to wherever it takes us and hopefully it
is far."
WNCC
opens the season this week when they face three of top six teams in the nation.
The Cougars ride into Council Bluffs, Iowa, as the top=-ranked team and will
face No. 4 San Jacinto and No. 2 Iowa Western Community College on Friday, and
No. 6 Salt Lake Community College and Barton Community College on Saturday. The
Cougars will then have their home opener on Tuesday, Aug. 27 against Casper
College.
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