Photos available to view at wncccougars.albumpost.com
Western Nebraska Community College’s Kaleinani Kabalis pounded home 29 kills in two matches and the Cougars picked up their 30th win of the season by sweeping past Northwest College and Williston State College in day two of the Wyo-Braska Shootout at Cougar Palace.
The Cougars put on a dazzling hitting show against Northwest Wyoming as Kabalis had 15 kills and sophomore Fatima Balza finished with 16 in the 25-9, 25-14, 25-18 win over the Trappers.
Kabalis finished with 14 kills against Williston State as the Cougars earned a 25-20, 25-12, 25-15 win over the Tetons. That win gave the Cougars win No. 30, which was the 12th straight year WNCC has won 30 wins dating back to the 1997 season.
Kabalis, the freshman from Hilo, Hawaii, said this year’s team has plenty of good hitters, but it takes good passing to set up the multitude of hitters.
“We have to be able to pass to be able to hit,” she said. “The only way we can play our game is when serve tough and pass. I think we didn’t do that well in serving [today], but we did on passing.”
Kabalis said they can be even better, and that is something that the opponents probably don’t want to hear.
“We have to play our game to be the best that we can be,” she said. “We know how good we are and we know what we can do and what we can accomplish. Right now we are really good, but I think we can be even better. We just have to keep practicing hard and thinking though.
“We have to learn from our mistakes and just practice good habits, not bad habits. We need to practice the way we are going to play in a game. Practice makes perfect.”
Friday, the Cougars flashed periods of greatness and then signs of not do great play. For the most part, though, the Cougars were on the top of their game, and it all started early against Northwest Wyoming.
In the first game, it was the Cougars domination from the service line that paid off as Gregner Quinones quickly started the Cougars to a 3-0 lead. Minutes later, Brooke Bloomenkamp served up five points behind two kills from Paloma Alvarez and a block and kill from Balza for a 16-5 lead.
WNCC kept going as Kabalis tallied three kills and two service points to finish off the first game victory.
Games two and three were a little bit tighter as Siqueira made adjustments and pushed the Cougars. Game two was back and forth until WNCC took a 12-8 lead behind two service points by Nayka Benitez. Later, Quinones served three points for a 17-10 lead. WNCC added to the lead as Balza served twice for a 20-11 lead and the Cougars cruised to the win.
Quinones started game three with three service points for a quick 3-0 lead in favor of the Cougars. Northwest Wyoming fought back, slicing the lead to one, 13-12. WNCC fought back as Kabalis hammered home two clutch kills for a 16-13 lead. WNCC added to the lead rotations later as they cruised to the 20-18 win.
Balza, besides her match-leading 16 kills, also had three points and four blocks, while Kabalis added two block, seven digs, 10 points and three aces to her 15 kills.
Also for the Cougars, Quinones had eight points and three digs; Sabina Piegza had two points, four digs and 33 assists; Paulina Piegza had seven kills; Alvarez had seven kills, three digs and two blocks; Bloomenkamp had two kills, five points and eight digs; and Benitez had 13 digs, two aces and five points.
Against Williston State, the Cougars struggled early, trailing the Tetons 16-14 at one point thanks to five service errors. WNCC rebounded, however, as Bloomenkamp served three points to push the Cougars up 18-16 and went on to win 25-20.
Game two was all WNCC as Balza served the Cougars out to a 4-1 lead before they stretched the lead to 20-10 on a Kabalis kill and service point. WNCC ended up winning on a Naomi Flinder service point.
Game three was close to start as both teams were knotted at 4-4. Then Benitez changed things in a heartbeat with six straight points, including three ace serves and three Cami Weimer kills to push the lead to 12-4.
Kabalis added seven digs, two blocks and two points to go with her 14 kills. Also for WNCC, Balza had seven kills, four blocks and six points; Quinones had five points and seven digs; Paulina Piegza had four kills; Sabina Piegza had five kills, two blocks, four points and 23 set assists; Weimer had two kills, two blocks and three digs; Benitez had 12 digs, eight points and four aces; and Flinders had three points.
Action in the tournament will conclude today with WNCC facing Miles Community College at 10 a.m. at Cougar Palace. Eastern Wyoming College will be in action twice today at Torrington, Wyo., facing Williston State at 10 a.m. and Colby at noon.
Other scores in the tournament include Sheridan defeating Colby 25-11, 25-14, 25-20; Casper taking down Williston 25-20, 25-22, 25-18; Northwest Wyoming beating Williston 25-16, 25-9, 25-17; Northeastern Colorado defeating Sheridan 25-15, 25-17, 25-20; Northeastern Colorado defeating Casper 24-26, 29-27, 25-14, 25-22; Seward County beating Sheridan 26-24, 25-17, 25-9; Northwest Wyoming defeating North Platte 25-13, 25-16, 25-10; Seward County beating Miles City 25-10, 25-16, 25-12; Northeastern Colorado beating Laramie County 25-13, 22-25, 25-15, 25-16; Eastern Wyoming beating McCook 25-20, 25-20, 25-17; North Platte taking care of Trinidad State 25-22, 25-19, 27-25; Colby defeating Laramie County 15-25, 25-15, 24-26, 25-19; 17-15; Trinidad State beating Miles City 20-10, 25-21, 25-17; Seward County defeating McCook 25-20, 25-11, 25-12; Colby taking care of North Platte 23-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 15-10; Eastern Wyoming beating Trinidad State 16-25, 25-17, 27-25, 25-18; and Laramie County beating McCook 25-13, 25-17, 25-17.
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