WNCC volleyball team opens season with two wins

The Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team wasted little time in showing their dominance at the Molten Classic in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The Cougars swept through their first two opponents, dropping Indian Hills Community College 25-15, 25-12, and Kishwaukee Community College 25-20, 25-22. The win against Kishwaukee was a battle of 2007 national championship teams as Kishwaukee won the Division II title last November, while the Cougars claimed the Division I title.

In the battle of the national championship teams, both squads looked strong. Kishwaukee entered the WNCC match after opening up their season with a 3-game win over Southwest Missouri-West Plains.

Kish quickly took a 10-7 lead over the Cougars only to see the Cougars come storming back behind three service points by QGregner Quinones to tie the game at 15. WNCC continued stretching the lead in the opening game, taking a 17-13 lead on a Kaleinani Kabalis kill.

Sabina Piegza expanded the lead to 20-15 on two service points and the Cougars went up 22-16 on another hammering kill from Kabalis as they went on to win 25-20.

Kish ran out to a 6-1 lead to open the second game and continued leading through the early stages. Things soon changed as sophomore Nayka Benitez served up three straight points to take a 16-14 lead.

Both teams battled back and forth until Kabalis pounded down a kill to put WNCC up 21-19. Sabina Piegza pushed the lead to 23-19 on two service points to help the Cougars move to the win.

Fatima Balza paced the Cougars wiith eight solo blocks and eight kills. Kabalis finished with nine digs, five and four blocks, while Paulina Piegza had seven kills and two blocks. Naomi Flinders finished with seven digs and seven blocks, while Quinones had five digs and six points.

Also for WNCC, Benitez had 10 digs and six points, while Sabina Piegza had five points, five blocks and 15 set assists.

The Cougars were just as impressive in their opening season win against Indian Hills, sweeping to the victory behind a balanced offensive output and a strong blocking effort. Balza finished with six kills, five solo blocks, and Kabalis had eight kills and four blocks.

Also for WNCC, Sabina Piegza had 15 set assists, seven digs, six blocks, six points and three kills; Quinones had four kills and four digs; Benitez had 11 digs; Cami Weimer four points, and Paloma Alvarez had two kills and four blocks.

WNCC will have two more matches on Friday, taking on Southwestern (Iowa) Community College and Marshalltown Community College this evening. The Cougars will have four matches on Saturday as well against Hutchinson, SW Missouri-West Plains, Cloud County and Hillsborough.