WNCC volleyball picks up two wins in tournament

Danika Youngblood

                COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa -- The No. 6 Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team received double-doubles from Danika Youngblood and the Cougars got back on the winning track with sweeps over Division II-ranked Iowa Lakes Community College and Jefferson College in the second day of the Iowa Western tournament at Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Saturday.

               The Cougars opened play on Saturday with a 25-15, 25-15, 27-25 win over Iowa Lakes before dropping Jefferson College 25-15, 25-10, 25-22. WNCC finished the tournament at 3-1.

               Youngblood was huge at the net and on defense with double-doubles in both matches. Against Iowa Lakes, the sophomore from Utah had 14 kills and 10 digs before finishing with 13 kills and 12 digs against Jefferson.

               Alex Rivera also was stellar on defense, finishing with 16 digs against against Jefferson and 13 digs against Iowa Lakes.

               Rivera said they learned from the loss to Iowa Western on Friday and came out a different team.

               "Every time you lose, you learn from your mistakes. We know we have to do the little things to win," she said. "We actually improved from that loss and we took positive things out of it. Like coach told us that you will lose some games and you will win some games. You can get a lot of good out of a loss and you are not always going to win. I think that is what good teams are made of when they can just come back from a loss. That is what we did."

               Rivera said the competition was fierce with plenty of national-caliber teams.

Alex Rivera

               "The competition was pretty good. San Jac, Western Wyoming and Iowa Western all went to nationals and all the other teams like Jefferson and Eastern Arizona were good. It was tough competition," she said. "You couldn't go into a match and say we will win this one because the competition was at the same level."

               The tournament also proved important as the team starts to mold together as a unit considering how young in playing experience they are.

               "We are still trying a lot of new things and getting to know each other because this is our first tournament," Rivera said. "We want to get better and we want to play more and make sure we know each other inside the court. i think the more we play, the more we get to know each other and the we will get better."

               Against Iowa Lakes, the Cougars had a plethora of outstanding achievements. Besides Youngblood and Rivera, Taylor VanderWerff and Yora Tovar each finished with eight kills and four blocks. Priscila Mendes finished with four kills and eight digs, while Allora Tanner had four kills, five digs and two blocks.

               Also for the Cougars, Kat Agson had three kills; Luiza Martins had two aces and 34 set assists; Morgan Broussard had two digs and six set assists; Lindsay Wehkamp had two kills and two digs; and Tasha Meyer had three digs.

               In the Jefferson contest, Mendes pounded home 12 kills while collecting nine digs and six service points. Tanner finished with five kills, four blocks and, two digs and four points, while Tovar and VanderWerff each had four kills and three blocks.

               Also for the Cougars, Agson had one kill and one dig; Martins had two blocks, two digs, seven points and 36 set assists; and Meyer had four points.

               The Cougars, 3-1, will next be in action Tuesday when they travel to face Casper College in Casper, Wyo. After that WNCC will partake in the Salt Lake Community College tournament where they will face Salt Lake Community College and Mt. Hood Community College on Friday and No. 1 College of Southern Idaho and Northwest (Wyo.) College on Saturday.

WNCC volleyball splits on opening day of Iowa Western tourney

Allora Tanner

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa -- The No. 6 Western Nebraska Community College volleyball split a pair of matches to open the 2012 season at the Iowa Western tournament in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Friday.

The Cougars opened by sweeping past No. 8 Eastern Arizona College 25-20, 25-11, 25-21 before falling to No. 10 Iowa Western Community College 25-14, 25-11, 25-21.

Allora Tanner led the Cougars against Eastern Arizona with a near double-double. Tanner finished with 10 kills and nine digs. She also had two blocks in the win. Priscila Mendes led the team with 14 kills, while also getting eight digs.

Also for the Cougars, Taylor VanderWerff had three kills, two blocks and six digs; Kat Agson had eight kills and two blocks; Yoro Tovar had six kills, four blocks and six digs; Luiza Martins had three kills, four blocks, seven digs and 35 set assists; Alex Rivera had 23 digs; and Tasha Meyer had six digs.

Against Iowa Western, Martins had a double-double of 10 digs and 19 set assists. Rivera finished with 13 digs, while Mendes had five kills and eight digs.

Also, Danika Youngblood had four kills and two blocks; Tovar had seven kills and three blocks; Tanner had three kills and tgwo blocks; and Meyer had five digs.

The Cougars, 1-1, will have two more matches Saturday against Division II, No. 3 ranked Iowa Lakes Community College and then Jefferson College.

WNCC volleyball set to open the season this weekend

                After three weeks of practice, the Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team will finally kick off the season this weekend at the Iowa Western tournament in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

                The tournament will be a welcome change from the rigors of daily practices, but for WNCC fifth year head coach Giovana Melo it will be a chance to see what this year’s team is made of.

                “We are a little behind this year than what we have been in the past because we have had so many freshmen trying to get adapted to the system and changes of play,” she said. “Overall, I think we are ready and we want to see where we are at and I want to see them compete. I want to see what they can do even though we are still trying to get things figured out.”

                Melo already got a taste of the potential talent on this team when they had two scrimmages last week against Regis University and a Blue/Gold scrimmage. Since that Regis scrimmage where the Cougars looked sporadic to say the least, the team has turned a complete 360 in practice. The scrimmage, in effect, was a blessing for the pre-season ranked No. 6 Cougars, who finished last season 41-2 and third at the national tournament.

                “Since the Regis scrimmage we have got a little bit better and they [the players] realized we were really behind and that we had to really work on a lot of different things,” Melo said. “They have improved in practice and their attitudes are better in the way they are facing practice.”

                This weekend will not be an easy road for the Cougars as they the face three of four ranked teams. The Cougars open the season Friday at noon against No. 8 Eastern Arizona College before facing No. 10 Iowa Western Community College at 4 p.m.

                WNCC will then face Division II, No. 3 ranked Iowa Lakes Community College at 8 a.m. on Saturday before wrapping up the tournament at noon against Jefferson College.

                “This tournament will be tough and I know we are a little bit behind,” Melo said. “Now I want to see what they can do and what we are able to put together as a team. If we struggle, we struggle and if we do well, that is great. But I think it is really early for us and with so many freshmen and all the changes that we have to make; It will come down to little things for us. I am not worried about the results; I am just worried about getting better for the end of the season when it batters the most.”

                The Cougars’ enter the season with plenty of talent but it is young talent. The Cougars return just five players from a year ago, but only three were constant starters. They included Danika Youngblood, 5-9 from South Jordan, Utah; Alex Rivera, 5-6 from Puerto Rico, and Megan Johnson, 5-11 from Sandy, Utah. Also returning is Taylor VanderWerff 6-1 of New Orleans, La., and Tasha Meyer, 5-8 of Honolulu, Hawaii.

                The Cougars also have sophomore transfer Kat Agson, a 5-9 right side hitter from Houston, Texas, who transferred to WNCC from Bethune-Cookman University.

                While there is good talent the big question is finding someone to replace setter Fernanda Goncalves, who was a two-time NJCAA all-American. Melo has two capable replacements in Gering’s Morgan Broussard and Luiza Martins of Brazil, both freshmen. Melo said both are coming along.

                “The two setters are stepping up,” she said. “Luiza is still trying to figure out the system and the language and that is how Fernanda was her freshman year. Morgan is getting a little bit better every day and right now it is about making the right choices. It will get there but it will take a little bit of time for them to become team leaders and captains just like Fernanda was at the end of her two years here.”

                Melo also has plenty of other incoming freshmen that have caught her eye. She said every player has shown sparks of brilliance.

                “Honestly it is hard to tell who is standing out,” she said. “We were talking about this the other day and every single day in practice someone different steps up. That is the good thing because that says how much talent we have. On the other side of things, it is scary because you never know who will show up.”

                The other newcomers that are providing plenty of depth for this team include Lauren Knox, 5-11 of Broomfield, Colo., Priscila Mendez 5-10 of Brazil, Allora Tanner 6-1 of South Weber, Utah, Lindsay Wehkamp 5-9 of Cimarron, Kan., Kasey Lafitaga 5-4 of Kaneohe, Hawaii, and Yoro Tovar 6-1 of Venezuela.

                Melo said she see a lot of talent, but realizes that it will take time to get that experience on the court.

                “It is hard to pick a starting a line-up because of the talent and that is why I was trying so many different combinations at the Regis scrimmage because I have players that can play in different positions,” Melo said. “Until we can say that you will play in this position, I will still be playing around with the lineup to see where they can perform the best. It will be a test this weekend to see if we can find each position and then go from there.”

                The early schedule is also not in their favor. After this weekend’s matches, the Cougars will travel to Casper College Aug. 28 before taking part in the Salt Lake City tournament Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. After that the schedule gets even harder as they compete in the College of Southern Idaho tournament Sept. 7-8 where they will face No. 1 College of Southern Idaho, No. 9 Miami Dade College and No. 3 College of Central Florida.

                Melo said they will take some bumps early, but she is hoping the rigorous schedule pays dividends down the stretch.

                “I don’t know what will happen because we are trying different things,” she said. “We will see how they react each day and face our opponents especially since we are playing some teams there that are bringing back a lot of sophomores. We will be a little behind than they are, but I just want to see us go in there and compete and get better. That is what matters to me right now.”

WNCC volleyball ranked 6th in pre-season poll

                The Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team will be entering this season ranked number six in the nation after the National Junior College Athletic Association released its pre-season rankings last week.

                WNCC, who was ranked No. 1 last season for much of the season, finished the season at 41-2 and finished in the top four for the eight straight year.

                However, WNCC head coach Giovana Melo isn’t upset about the ranking since it is not where you are ranked at the beginning of the season, but at the end that matters the most.

                “I think it’s a good spot for us,” the fifth-year Cougar head coach said. “We have to work hard every day to get better. The rankings are just numbers and it doesn’t say anything about the team in pre-season.”

                The College of Southern Idaho enters the season as the No. 1 team in the pre-season rankings followed by Tyler Junior College, College of Central Florida, San Jacinto College and Western Wyoming Community College..

                The Cougars lost to Western Wyoming in the semifinals of the national tournament last season. The Cougars then finished third in the nation after dropping San Jacinto in five games, while Western Wyoming fell to Blinn College in the championship

                Rounding out the top 10 after WNCC are Salt Lake Community College, Eastern Arizona College, Miami Dade College, and Iowa Western Community College.

                There is just one other Region IX team that is ranked and that is Casper College at No. 18.

                The Cougars will play a number of ranked teams this season, including many within the first three weeks of the season.

                “I haven’t really had the time to stop and look at it but we play a lot of them that are ranked,” Melo said. “We have a pretty tough schedule this year.”

                The Cougars open the season Aug. 24-25 at the Iowa Western Invite, where they will play No. 8 Eastern Arizona, No. 10 Iowa Western, and NJCAA Division II-ranked Iowa Lakes Community College.

                WNCC will continue it’s tough schedule when they travel to face No. 18 Casper College, before taking off to Salt Lake City Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 where they will play No. 7 Salt Lake and No. 1 Southern Idaho. WNCC will then travel to the CSI Invite Sept. 7 and 8.

                Melo said the tough schedule should pay dividends in the end and they are gradually getting better during the pre-season practices.

                “We are not basing our focus on the rankings,” she said. “We are just trying to get better right now. The season is a long process. We are taking one step at a time.”

NJCAA Pre-season Volleyball Rankings

1, College of Southern Idaho

2, Tyler Junior College

3, College of Central Florida

4, san Jacinto College

5, Western Wyoming Community College

6, Western Nebraska  Community College

7, Salt Lake Community College

8, Eastern Arizona College

9, Miami Dade College

10, Iowa Western Community College

11, Seminole State College

12, North Idaho College

13, Western Texas College

14, Seward County Community College

15, Wallace State C.C.-Hanceville

16, Florida State College at Jacksonville

17, Arizona Western College

18, Casper College

19, Lake Land College

20, Gadsden State Community College

WNCC soccer teams open practice

                 The Western Nebraska Community College men's and women's soccer teams opened up practice Thursday at the Landers Soccer Complex. And after just one day of practice, the players can see plenty of potential in this year's teams.

                Sophomore goalkeeper Bailey Wenz said the women's team came back in better shape than last season and they are ready for the long three-a-day practices.

                "We are all pretty tired right know [after the afternoon session] but we are in better shape than last year," she said. "Henri (Coach Prieels; made a comment this morning that our tests were 20 times better than last year so we are in better shape."

                Wenz also has noticed that there is plenty of talent on this year's team which will the women's team should have plenty of depth.

                "The talent is looking pretty good. It doesn't look like anyone is above each other; we are all at the same level," she said. "We are really deep defensively so I think our defense will be really strong. But we have the forwards that will go out and just do the work."

                The women return six players from a year ago in Wenz, Laura James, Ari Herrera, Kelsey Newby, Ashly Baker and Breanna Smith. The women's team also have sophomore transfer Kortney MItchell, who transferred from McPherson College in Kansas.

                With six returners and a sophomore transfer, Wenz said the team is well-rounded with a good mix of talented freshmen, including four area newcomers in Scottsbluff's Megan Patrick, Gering's Chanice Blanco and Dani Copsey, and Torrington's Caitlyn Cummings.

                With the good mix of players, Wenz said the first day went well and they are looking towards a better season than last year, where they fell one game short of a regional title.

                "The first day was good," the Gillette, Wyo., product said. "We are clicking as a team better than last year and everyone is working hard. We really haven't set a goal, but the goal for us as a team is to just go out and play our game and just be one team."

                The Cougar men are in the same boat as the women, deep and talented. The men return just seven players form a year ago and returner Matt "Tiki" Lee said this team has plenty of talent.

                "I think there is a lot of new freshmen and a lot of good returning sophomores. We will have a great team," the Windsor, Colo., sophomore said. "So far we are looking pretty good. It will take some time to get used to everybody's touch on the game, but I think if we work hard enough, we will co-exist."

                Lee said that the goal of this year's team is to go further than a year ago. Last season they team fell in the first round of regionals to Otero on penalty kicks. Lee doesn't want to see a repeat of that and he doesn't foresee that happening.

                "I am hoping to go farther than last year. I am hoping our goal is to get as far as we can," he said. "I would like to get past where we got last year and advance further on in the tournament."

                This year's team has just seven returners from a year ago. Besides Lee, they include Gering graduates Joey Rasnic, Cody Thompson and Mason Nab, Jacon Santos, Mark Hubbard, and Adhimar Lino.

                Lee thinks this team is really balanced after the opening practices and can go a long ways.

                "I think this team is balanced and we should have have a strong defense," he said. "There are a few international kids from England and Ireland that is looking pretty good on defense. W have a lot of returning talent on offense, so i think it is balanced."

                Both teams will go through three-a-days until classes begin AUg. 15. The two teams have five scrimmages before opening the season the first weekend in September against Pratt Community College and Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kan. The first scrimmage is at home Aug. 11 where the men will scrimmage the Chadron Job Corp while the women will have a Blue/Gold Scrimmage.

WNCC volleyball begins practice

                 The 14 members of this year’s Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team took to the floor Wednesday for the opening practice and there is plenty of optimism surrounding the team.

                “The season looks real good. We have good talent this year and it is already very competitive,” sophomore Taylor VanderWerff said. “We are playing at a higher level which is good. So, it will only get better from here.”

                Freshman Allora Tanner is also excited for the season after seeing the talent of the players on the team.

                “It [the first day] was good and I am excited for the season,” she said. “We are working really hard and I can’t wait to start working harder and harder.”

                The Cougars, who finished 41-2 and third in the nation last season, went through two easier practices on the first day, but things will pick up in the next few days.

                “This morning was pretty light and the second practice in the afternoon was a little bit tougher because it was playing the whole time,” VanderWerff of New Orleans, La., said. “Overall, it was light but still competitive. It will get tougher.”

                The Cougars return six sophomores last year’s team in VanderWerff, Megan Johnson, Tasha Meyer, Danika Youngblood and Alex Rivera. The Cougars also have Kat Agson, from Houston, who transfers in from Bethune-Cookman University.

                VanderWerff said the newcomers are already playing at a high level of play.

                “All the new girls know that are coming in are showing what they have and it is extremely competitive. They are trying to prove themselves already in the beginning. The sophomores do have some pressure and we definitely have to come out and be leaders and act as a presence on the court.”

                The freshmen include Morgan Broussard from Gering, Lauren Knox of Broomfield, Colo., Priscilia Mendes and Luiza Martins of Brazil, Tanner of South Weber, Utah, Kasey Lafitaga of Kaneohe, Hawaii, Lindsay Wehkamp of Cimarron, Kan., and Yoro Tovar of Venezuela.

                Tanner, the 6-foot-1 outside/rightside hitter from South Weber, Utah, said she is excited to get going with all the talent this team possesses.

                “We have so much potential and I love It,” she said. “We are all really close and it has only been the first day of practice. I can’t wait for us to keep going.”

                The Cougars will undergo two-a-day practices through Aug. 14 before the first day of classes. The team will have two scrimmages at home on Aug. 16 against Regis University and then Aug. 18 against the alumni. The Cougars open the season for real Aug. 24-25 at the Iowa Western tournament.

                VanderWerff and Tanner said that they are ready to work hard for a schedule that is loaded with plenty of heavy weights.

                “We have a really tough schedule with almost every weekend [playing good teams],” VanderWerff said. “But playing that hard schedule will keep us playing and busy.”

                Tanner said the freshmen are excited to be joining a nationally known program like WNCC, hoping to capture another national title.

                “There is a lot of potential [with this program] and there has been a lot that has happened in this school and we have big shoes to fill,” she said. “Having this type of talent shows that we are all determined and we strive for the same goals. We are all going to work hard as a team and go for that goal.”