WNCC volleyball team wins two, in Final Four

For more photos, go to the WNCC Photo Album page at wncccougars.albumpost.com

The Western Nebraska Community College’s dream of a national title is still alive after two hard-fought matches in the first day of the NJCAA national tournament in Council Bluffs. The Cougars defeated Hillsborough 30-25, 33-30, 30-26, and then the University of Arkansas-Ft. Smith 30-24, 30-22, 30-27.

The Cougars will play semi-final action today at 6 p.m. against Salt Lake Community College. Salt lake, who the Cougars have faced twice this season splitting a pair of matches, earned the Final Four appearance with wins over North Shoals 30-19, 03-24, 30-10 and then Blinn College 30-20, 30-22, 29-31, 30-21.

WNCC coach Chris Green is glad to get by the first day of action. “It is nice to say we did it [getting to the final four] without playing our best,” he said. “We really struggled and we still came out on top, which I guess is good. I just hope we find a way to play better [today].”

One Cougar that stood out on the day was sophomore Jennifer Eichler. Eichler, who is headed to Tulsa University next year, finished the two matches with 31 kills, including several that came at key moments.

“I love the pressure. I love the that coach is counting on me and also that the other players can count on me,” she said. “I like being the goto person. I like the pressure that is put on me and I feel I play better.”

Eichler couldn’t be more pleased that she will get another shot a national title. Last year, the Cougars fell in the title game to Iowa Western Community College in three straight games. In this year’s opening day, the Cougars swept through both opponents without dropping a set. Eichler said there were some tense moments out there against some stiff competition.

“At times there were some tough times and at times it was easy,” she said. There were times we started to get a little nervous but we made the points when needed. Now, it is amazing and I am glad we get another change at it [the national title. The worst we can get is fourth, but I would rather get No. 1.”

In the quarterfinal win, Eichler finished with 15 kills and two blocks. Aida Bauza and Datima Balza also finished with double-digit kills. Bauza had 16 kills, while Balza had 11. Soriana Pacheco tallied six kills to go along with her 43 set assists, 18 digs and two points.

Also fo rthe Cougars, Stacie Meisner had 15 digs, nine points and two aces, while Nayka Benitez had eight digs, nine points and two aces; Daphine Da Silva had eight digs and nine points; Shawntell Jones had six oints and three blocks; Chelsea Lyles had four kills; and Kendra Schaeuerman had six points.

WNCC reached the semi-finals with a hard-fought encounter against the 12th seed Hillsborough before prevailing 30-25, 32-30, 30-26, and it was the play of Eichler down the stretch that pushed the Cougars to the opening-round victory.

Eichler, a sophomore who is headed to Tulsa University next semester, finished the match with 16 kills and four points. Her points, though, came to close out the match after she hammered home a kill to tie the third game at 26.

Eichler then stepped to the service line and served out the match behind two kills by Balza, a kill by Pacheco and an ace serve.

The Hillsborough match wasn’t all Eichler as all the Cougars had to dig deep. After winning the first game 30-25, WNCC found itself behind the eight ball in game two. The Cougars seemed to have game two well in hand, leading 16-11 behind three Pacheco service points. But, things changed in a heartbeat as the Hawks raced to a 22-18 lead behind five points by Yamari Padilla-Collazo had five service points and then Brittany Dilts served up two aces for the lead.

WNCC rebounded with the razor-sharp serving of Meisner, who served up five points including three aces for a 24-22 lead. It didn’t last as the Hawks leading hitter, Emily Calderon-Reyes, hammered home two kills to tie the game at 27. Hillsborough pushed the lead to game-point at 29-28 only to find Eichler hammer home another kill to tie the game at 29.

Hillsborough, again, had game point at 29-28 on a Nallellis Sanfeliz-ramieriz kill. Eichler came right back with another monster kill to knot the score at 30. Eichler finished off the second game with two more kills for the 32-30 win.

The third game was just as intense as neither team wanted to lose as Hillsborough led 9-6 and later 20-17 to fend off dropping to the consolation bracket. The Cougars finally decided not to play around anymore and went to work, tying the game at 20 on three Pacheco pionts.Hillsborough came back and went ahead 26-25 before Eichler put the clamps on the Hawks national title hopes.

Bauza also hammered home 12 kills in the match followed by Balza with seven and Pacheco with six. Pacheco also had a good match finishing with six kills, eight points and 42 set assists, while Meisner had seven points, fourh aces and eight digs.

Also for the Cougars, Benitez had 16 digs and five points, Shauermann had eight digs and fice points, Jones had five points and four kills.

In other action first-round Frank Phillips defeated Casper College 30-19, 30-20, 30-24; Iowa Western Community College took out Missouri State-West Plains 30-26, 30-26, 27-30, 30-22; San Jacinto College defeated barton County Community College 25-30, 30-23, 30-23, 22-30, 15-13; Miami Dade College easily beat Spartanburg Methodist 30-12, 30-10, 30-15; No. 1 Salt Lake Community College College walked over Northwest Shoals 30-19, 30-24, 30-10; Blinn College defeated College of Southern Idaho 30-20, 30-28, 23-30, 30-27; and University of Arkansas-Ft. Smith beat Temple College 0-26, 30-13, 30-21.

In quarter-final action, Frank Phillips eliminated the defending champions Iowa Western in five games 23-30, 30-23, 23-30, 30-25, 15-8, Miami-Dade defeated San Jacinto 22-30, 21-30, 30-20, 30-24, 15-13;