WNCC volleyball team too much for Casper

It was a workman-like effort for the Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team as 10 of the 13 players recorded a kill in sweeping past Casper College Thursday night at Cougar Palace.

Leticia Kuhn and Jenny Eichler led the way with 12 kills each in the 30-15, 30-22, 30-20 win giving the No. 2 Cougars their 22nd victory of the season.

"All-around we played pretty good," Scottsbluff's Becky Hughes said. "We were still sloppy in some areas, but we came together and played as a team and finished like we know how. Our hitters are very talented and it is good to see them step up to the plate."

WNCC notched 51 kills as a team in registering its 74th straight win over a Region IX victory dating back to 2004. W NCC head coach Chris Green was pleased with how his team started and finished the match.

"I think we came out pretty strong despite having some defensive lapses. But I think the first game went pretty well," he said. "The second game we had a little bit of a letdown and we struggled a little bit. Then I think in the third game, the line-up that was out on the court played very well. I was happy how they finished."

Thursday's match saw a plethora of players step up. Eichler and Kuhn might have finished with 12 kills each, but several players stepped up as well Bianca Rivera and Barbara Freitas each had six kills followed by Soriana Pacheco with five, Kendra Schauermann with four, Hailey Mueller with three, and one each from Becky Hughes, Shawntell Jones and Jillian Kelly.

But, it wasn't just the attacking the stood out Thursday, the team also had seven players record service points, seven with blocks, as well as five with ace serves. Gering graduate Stacie Meisner led the team with 12 points and one ace, followed by Pacheco and Rivera with eight points, Schauermann with seven, Kuhn with five, Freitas with four and Cassie Vrooman with two.Jones, Freitas and Hughes each finished with three blocks on the night. And it was Freitas and Hughes' double block that sealed the win for the Cougars.

"It is always exciting getting the last point," Hughes said.

WNCC's rolled in the first game running to a 17-10 lead behind the killing and serving of Kuhn. The 6-foot freshman had five kills and two points in the early going. After that, Meisner served up four straight points followed by four by Schauermann to push WNCC to the 30-15 win.

The Cougars were just as dominating in the early parts of game two running to a 17-10 lead behind a Eichler kill, before Casper's Bridget Neal served up three points to cut the lead to 18-14. The Thunderbirds had the lead down to 24-20 at one stretch before a triple block by Mueller, Schauermann and Eichler sealed the win.The third game was give and go between both teams. Casper's Julia Gruszecka hamered home a kill to nknot the score at 13. After that, things changed in a heartbeat as Vrooman had three service points for a 17-13 lead. Several rotations later, Hughes hammered home a kill to push the lead to five, 20-15.

Meisner's sizzling services baffled the Casper defense with four straight points and a 28-18 lead and consequently the 30-20 win.WNCC will have little time to rest as they head out at 7 a.m. today for the Garden City tournament. The Cougar's first match is scheduled today at 5 p.m. against Vernon (Texas) College.

"It might not as tough as Salt Lake or the Columbus tournament, but every time we step out on the court the other teams want to beat us because we are the No. 2 team in the country," Green said. "We have a pretty big target on our back. That is what happens when you are ranked."