TORRINGTON, Wyo. -- The Western Nebraska Community College and Eastern Wyoming College volleyball teams hooked up in their annual border war volleyball match and unlike the last time the two teams locked up, this time the contest was a little bit closer.
Still, the No. 1 ranked Cougars had just a little bit more fire-power and height to register a 25-13, 25-12, 25-17 win over the Lancers Tuesday evening at the Verl Petsch Activities Center in Torrington, Wyo.
“They [EWC] played good defense and they were touching everything and they got into a couple rallies because we got out of our game,” WNCC coach Giovana Melo said. “Still, I think it was a good game for us.”
EWC coach Verl Petsch said, even though they came up on the short end on the scoreboard, he saw plenty of positives his team can take from the match.
“I told the kids I thought we were really successful tonight. We didn’t win on the scoreboard, but we definitely executed very well in terms of team and skill things that we wanted to do,” he said. “. I am very pleased with the way we played against the defending national champions and No. 1 team in the nation. If we continue to play that well we can finish the season on a bright spot.”
In deed the Cougars didn’t totally run away with the match even though on the scoreboard it might look like that.
WNCC committed 10 service errors on the night compared to zero for the Lancers. In fact, Petsch was pleased with the number of service receive errors his team had – seven – compared to many more the first time the two squads played on Sept. 9.
“I am very excited with how we played. I thought we elevated our game, especially compared to last weekend,” he said. “We executed and our there was some great rallies by both ball clubs. I counted one time that we had five attempts the ball and the Cougars had six and we were able to win the thing. Those were great rallies. I thought we did a really nice job.”
Melo added that the long rallies her team was involved in was something they needed as they are headed into a tough weekend against nationally-ranked teams in Liberal, Kan.
“It is really good for us to get in long rallies because it is something we need,” she said. “One thing we need to work on is to be patient and when we have a good set we need to take the hit. Otherwise, we need to be patient with it and when it is time to put it away, we will put it away.”
WNCC started the first set on fire as Nayka Benitez served up five straight points. The Lancers sliced the deficit to 8-5 on a Samantha Duggen kill and was within four points, 10-6, after a missed serve.
The Cougars finally got untracked as Kaleinani Kabalis served up five points, including two aces, for a 19-8 lead. WNCC then cruised to the first set win 25-13.
The Lancers started the second set on a roll as Lora Hill served up two points for a quick 2-0 lead. It didn’t last long as Brooke Blomenkamp hammered home a kill and then Gregner Quinones had five points for a 6-2 lead.
EWC fought back on a Vanessa Timm kill, cutting the lead to 7-4. Fatima Balza stopped the momentum with a kill and then proceeded to serve five points for a 14-4 lead. After two service points by Erin Monheiser to cut the lead to 14-6, Kabalis registered two kills and then three points to help the Cougars to a 20-8 lead. Balza finished off the set getting a block for the final point.
The third set was a knock-out fight between the border towns. The Lancers jumped out to a 5-3 lead on a Kelsey Stout kill and a Monheiser service point. WNCC came back to tie the game on two Balza service points, before Duggen stopped the run with a kill.
WNCC jumped back out to an 8-6 lead before a side out and a Cassidy Carlisle service point tied things at eight. Things changed after that as Cami Weimer hammered home a kill followed by five service points by Kabalis for a 14-8 WNCC lead.
EWC came back to get within three, 14-11, on two Hill service points, and then later at 17-14 on a Tricia Dorshorst point. Then, with WNCC up 18-15, the tide started to shift the Cougars way as Weimer registered a clutch kill of another long rally. Balza then served four points, including two aces, to push the lead to 23-15 before kills by Weimer and Naomi Flinders ended the match.
Stout paced the Lances with five kills and five blocks, while Timm recorded four blocks as well. Josey Peterson finished with 10 digs, while Dorshorst had five points, Carlisle five points, and Hill seven assists.
Balza and Kabalis each paced the Cougars with a double-doubles. Kabalis finished with 15 points, 16 digs, three aces and seven kills, Balza got 10 kills, 12 points, two aces, five blocks and three digs. Also for the Cougars, Sabina Piegza had two blocks, four points, 38 set assists and two digs; Weimer had five kills; Palamo Alvarez had 12 kills and six digs; Paulina Piegza had seven kills and three blocks; Flinders had three kills; Quinones had six kills and nine digs; and Benitez had 11digs, six points and two aces.
WNCC, 36-2, will next be in action Thursday when they travel to McCook Community College, followed by the Seward County Invite on Friday and Saturday.
“We have been waiting for a tournament like this,” Melo said about the upcoming weekend. “We have been practicing and playing hard in games against other teams in our region. Now we are going to face nationally-ranked teams. This is what we have been waiting for and the girls are anxious to get there to play some good volleyball.”
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