WNCC survives NJC in five games on Tuesday

By ALEX HELMBRECHT
Star-Herald Sports Reporter

Ever since the Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team earned its No. 1 ranking the Cougars have looked for a test.

Tuesday night they got their wish.

Northeastern Junior College pushed WNCC to the brink but the Cougars prevailed on Sophomore Night to win 30-23, 33-35, 30-23, 27-30, 15-13.

Tuesday's contest was the first five-game match the Cougars have played all season.
And WNCC sophomore Barbara Freitas hopes the scare NJC gave the Cougars won't happen again.

"[This game] shows us we need to work hard at every single practice," she said. "We need to workout and lift weights harder and push ourselves. And we all need to do what's best for the team."

Against the Plainswomen Freitas definitely proved how valuable she is to the team as she had a hand in everything. She finished with seven service points, one ace, six digs, 17 kills and four blocks.

"I just tried to do my best," she said. "I always try to help and talk a lot to my teammates while we're on the court. Tonight we kept pushing one another and I know we can play better."

WNCC cruised in the first game behind the strong serve of Soriana Pacheco. She provided six service points in the game and she also keyed several Cougar attackers from her setter position.
However, in the second game, WNCC couldn't overcome timely hitting mistakes. The Cougars had a 4-point lead (25-21) but NJC rattled off four straight points to tie. WNCC responded to take a 27-25 lead, but NJC tied it again. Both teams were unable to take control of the game and shared several game points, until NJC's Tamy Leipelt served for the win.

The Cougars responded in the third game with a solid win, but in the fourth NJC's talented freshman frontline players showed why they may be a force to reckon with in Region IX.
Addi Radke, Thais Hollerbach and Leipelt combined for eight kills and three aces to lead the Plainswomen to their second win.

Radke would finish the match with 17 kills and four aces. Defensively she had 15 digs. Hollerbach pounded out 13 kills and dug up 21 balls, and Leipelt had 11 kills.

In the fifth game no team had more than a 1-point lead until WNCC's Jennifer Eichler used a Pacheco assist to give the Cougars a 13-11 lead. After a WNCC kill attempt was tipped out of bounds, the Cougars' Leticia Kuhn served for the match.

But NJC wouldn't go down quietly thanks to Jessica Tjaden's match-saving kill. The Plainswomen's Stacy Manweiler served for the next point to make the game 14-13.
But Eichler tipped Manweiler's next serve and Freitas tapped the ball down for the final point.
Freitas felt the crowd played a big part in WNCC's dramatic win.

"The students and the people of the city make it [Cougar Palace] a good environment for us to play in," she said. "They help us play our best."

Sophomore Hailey Mueller, who only played briefly due to a sprained ankle, also believes WNCC has a wonderful home court advantage.

"It's great when our crowd cheers us on," said Mueller, who along with fellow sophomore Bianca Rivera have never lost at Cougar Palace. "We know the court, we know the lines and all the areas. And we practice here, so we're comfortable."

Several Cougars had an outstanding match, led by Kuhn. The freshman from Brazil recorded a triple-double - 14 points, 21 digs and 21 kills. Kuhn also served five aces.

Pacheco also recorded stellar numbers dishing out 51 assists. She also scored 13 points and had 11 kills. Defensively, she provided the Cougars with 15 digs and three blocks.
Jennifer Eichler attacked well for WNCC as she finished with 17 kills. Defensively, she had six blocks.