STERLING, Colo. – Sabina Piegza missed the last two weeks of the Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team’s regular season with a knee injury and she was determined to play in the Region IX South volleyball tournament. Piegza and the rest of her Cougar teammates made their presence a memorable one as they swept to their 11th straight regional title in dominating fashion. The Cougars dropped Northeastern Junior College in straight sets 25-15, 25-13, 25-17 to earn a berth at the NJCAA national tournament in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Nov. 19-21.
Piegza, who was tabbed Region IX’s Player of the Year and Setter of the Year, said they have been working hard all year to get back to the national tournament, and this weekend, they played like true champions.
“I was just waiting for regionals to get back on the court,” the 6-foot-1 sophomore setter from Poland said. “I think everybody was waiting for regionals and it was a great time to be here.
“We did a very good job. I think we worked hard from the beginning of the season to get back to nationals,” the 6-foot-1 sophomore setter from Poland said. “I think we just played our game today as a team and this is how we are going to win a national title.”
Piegza, though, was one of many players that played a crucial role in WNCC capturing the regional title. Gering graduate Brooke Blomenkamp, who along with Piegza was named to the all-tournament team, said they entered the tournament with a game plan and they stuck with it.
“We had a game plan and we executed the game plan perfectly,” she said. “All we had to do is have fun out there. We knew they would come hard, and they did. This win feels awesome right now. We won it last year and we got it again this year and defending our title is just awesome. It feels so good inside. I just love it.”
Blomenkamp said the game plan involved putting up a brick wall on the Plainswomen’s talented hitters. The Cougars did that as WNCC registered 13 blocks, including one solo block and four assist blocks from freshman Tania Torres.
“We had to go out there and block Brunna [Kronbauer] and Karen [Rivatto], and we got that done,” Blomenkamp said. “I think that helped us a lot. We also stayed very disciplined. We also had strong serving.”
The Cougars definitely had plenty of motivation at the regional tournament as last week, the Plainswomen topped the Cougars in the regular season in five sets in Sterling. Blomenkamp said the team remembered that loss.
“Yes that did that loss did motivate us,” she said. “We were determined not to lose again and we did it.”
WNCC wasted little time in taking control as they vaulted to a 4-0 lead behind four points from Kuulei Kabalis. The Cougars couldnet hold the lead as NJC came back to tie the game at 10-10 on a Rivatto kill.
That was the last time the Plainswomen would be tied with the No. 3 team in the nation as Ariel Austin hammered home a kill and then Kuulei Kabalis had four point, on three blocks by Torres for a 15-10 lead. WNCC finished off the first set as Paulina Piegza served the final two points for the win.
WNCC started even stronger in the second set, rolling to a 3-0 lead and pushed the lead to double digits at 12-2 on four Kaleinani Kabalis points. The Cougars were never in danger of losing the second set has Kathryn Stock had four kills and Blomenkamp had two clutch kills for the wn.
NJC played tougher in the third set early on as the Plainswomen held a 4-3 lead. WNCC changed gears and started pulling away as Sabina Piegza had three points and then led 14-8. The Cougars kept accelerating to championship point as Weimer served three points for a 20-13 lead.
After two points from NJC, Kabalis hammered a kill into the gournd for a 21-15 lead followed by Sabina Piegza three service points as Kabalis had two more kills. NJC sliced the lead to 24-17, but then a missed serve gave the regional title to WNCC.
Stock, who also was named to the all-tournament team, said the entire team stuck together.
“We played great and we really played as a team,” the freshman hitter said. “I think we played smart and we were patient. We fought through the whole game. We played great together and I think we can play better next time. We know we can do it now, especially when we get everything back in sync.”
In the championship match, Kaleinani Kabalis finished with a double-double of 13 kills, 10 digs, and three points; while Stock had eight kills, three blocks, four points and seven digs. Also, Cami Weimer had seven points and 15 digs; Paulina Piegza had two kills and three blocks; Torres had four kills, five blocks, Kuulei Kabalis had 10 points, seven digs and 11 set assists; Sabina Piegza had 10 set assists, eight points and seven digs; and Ariel Austin had two kills.
Four members of the Cougar squad made the All-Tournament and All-Region teams. All-tournament members include Blomenkamp, Stock, Paulina Piegza and Kaleinani Kabalis.
All-region members include Blomenkamp, Paulina and Sabina Piegza, and Kaleinani Kabalis. Sabina Piegza was also named the Region IX South Player of the Year as well as the Setter of the Year.
WNCC, 39-3, will now compete in its 11th straight national tournament in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Nov. 19-21.
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