WNCC volleyball ieam wins Salt Lake tournament for a second year in a row; Eichler, Pacheco named to all-tourney team

It was deja vu for the WNCC volleyball team at the Salt Lake tournament. Last year, the Cougars suffered a loss in their final pool play game, but came back and won the tournament.

The same thing happened this year. After falling to Salt Lake Community College in their final pool play match 30-27, 16-30, 15-10, the team came back with two wins in bracket play to earn the title. Soriana Pacheco and Jennifer Eichler each were named to the all-tournament team, while Pacheco was tabbed the tournament's MVP.

WNCC opened bracket play with a 30-24, 30-23, 30-17 win over Illinois Central College 30-24, 30-23, 30-17. That pushed the Cougars into the championship against Salt Lake and this match-up would go four games, but WNCC came out on top 30-15, 27-30, 31-29, 30-23.

In the first game against Salt Lake in the championship, WNCC breezed to the win as Eichler and Chelsea Lyles had the final two kills. Pacheco led the team with four kills, four aces and five digs.
Game two didn't go WNCC's way as Salt Lake built leads of five and six points and WNCC couldn't come back as the Cougars fell 30-27.

Game three was an exciting contest. Salt Lake had leads of four points through most of the match until the Cougars came back and tied it. Then, they took the lead behind some clutch hitting and blocking by Eichler. tied at 29, Salt Lake made a service error. Eichler then served the final point as Fatima Balza hit home the game-winner giving the Cougars the 31-29 win and forcing a game four.

WNCC started strong in game four running out to a 6-1 lead behind strong serving by Pacheco and later to 12-5 behind the serving of Daphine da Silva. WNCC continued its strong play, building the lead to 23-16. WNCC went up 28-20 behind the serving of Kendra Schauermann and a big kill by Eichler. Salt Lake cut the lead to 29-21 on a service error, but it didn't matter as the next service, Eichler finished off Salt Lake with a kill and the tournament title.

WNCC had three players finish with double figures kill marks. Aida Bauza led the way with 14 kills followed by Balza and Eichler with 13 kills each. Balza also hit .480 for the match and had 11 blocks and four digs. Pacheco finished with 40 set assists, nine digs and five blocks. Also, Stacie Meisner had seven digs, Nayka Benitez had 13 digs, and Shawntell Jones with five kills and four blocks.

In earlier action on the day, the Cougar's first loss of the season came to Salt Lake in three games 30-27, 16-30, 15-10 in the the team's final pool play match. In the loss this morning, Eichler finished with 10 kills and four blocks, Aida Bauza had nine kills, da Silva 10 digs, Pacheco 25 set assists and five digs, Meisner six digs, Benitez nine digs and Chelsea Lyles four kills, 1 ace and two digs.