MCC claims final Nebraska conference title with sweep

The McCook Community College volleyball team clinched the final Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference volleyball championship Tuesday with a 3-0 sweep over Southeast Community College. The Lady Indians topped the Bobcats 25-14, 25-15, 25-8 at the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center on sophomore night.

Next season the NCCAC will dissolve with North Platte moving up to Division 1 and Central Community College moving to a new region. MCC has won sixth of the last seven NCCAC titles under coach Hayley Kobza.

“I think that’s a great thing, an accomplishment for this program and something I think the girls should be very proud of,” said MCC Coach Hayley Kobza.

Tuesday night was also Sophomore night as six players were honored prior to the match. They included: Caylin Barnett (Southwest High School), Cibeles Bothwell (Spring, Texas), Kayten Hagan (Amherst High School), Romina Martinez Castro (Cochabamba, Bolivia), Emerie Rios (Sterling, Colo.), Rowan Tribelhorn (Yuma, Colo.).

“It was a big night for both things, plus we also needed this match to build up our self-esteem and show that we can do good things,” said Kobza. “I thought all around everyone did really well.”

Barnett led the offense with 14 kills to go with two assist blocks, six digs and a service ace. Martinez added 11 kills with seven digs.

Rios had eight kills and two blocks. Tribelhorn had four kills and three blocks.

Bothwell paced the defense with 23 digs. The NJCAA Region IX South defensive player of the week also had five assists and an assist.

“I thought all around everyone did really well Caylin and Romina with their kills and Cibeles had a lot of good digs and a lot of good hustle plays,” said Kobza.

“There was one play there where I looked at the coaches and told them ‘that needs to be on ESPN,’” said Kobza. “It was just using those skills that we work on – that the girls hate – but when you get in a bind you have to use them, and I thought they did really well.”

Freshman Charlee Russick (Berthoud, Colo.) had six kills and two digs and Ella Verts (freshman, Marshall, Mo.) was credited with two blocks and a kill. Freshman Mia Cauffman (Hershey) had one service ace.

Freshmen Abby Thompson (Bison, S.D.) and Megan Walker (Haxtun, Colo.) led the passing game with 19 and 18 assists respectively. They both had three digs. Walker had three service aces and Thompson had two.

Tueday’s match marked the first time MCC has gone to a 6-2 offense.

“After Saturday’s loss (to Trinidad State) I was going over how we can do better and how can we be better by Tuesday with one practice and decided on a modified version of the 6-2 after talking to (Assistant) Coach Troester and the girls,” said Kobza.

After seeing the results Kobza said she likes the options it gives the team, and she plans to continue using it.

The Lady Indians improve to 5-0 in the NCCAC while Southeast goes finishes out the conference at 0-6 and go to 6-21 on the year.

MCC will close out the NCCAC schedule in North Platte Oct. 22 at 6 p.m.

The Lady Indians go to 18-8 overall and hits the road Friday to start the second round of Region IX games starting at Lamar.

MCC is 2-3 in Region IX South having downed Lamar 3-0 at home Sept. 26. The Lopes are 6-15 overall and 1-4 in the south region.

“This is the last year the south region will only have six team and for the past few years, the top four make the post-season tournament,” next year we’re going to eight teams and so only the top four make it so these games matter,” said Kobza. “Lamar’s a team that plays up and down and we’re going to be at their home and it’s not one of my favorite places to play so we have to come in get to work and do our job.”

Up-to-date information about MCC volleyball including livestream links, schedule, statistics, rosters, photos and more can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com 

 

NEBRASKA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
ATHLETIC CONFERENCE STANDINGS
                         W-L   PCT     OVERALL
McCook CC      5-0   1.000   18-8
Central CC       3-2    .600    14-13
North Platte      2-2    .500    11-21
Southeast CC   0-5    .000     6-21

NCCAC RESULTS
Sept. 11 – Central CC 3, Southeast CC 0 (at Columbus)
Sept. 13 – McCook CC 3, Southeast CC 0 (at Lincoln)
Sept. 17 – North Platte 3, Southeast CC 1 (at North Platte)
Sept. 18 – McCook CC 3, Central CC 0 (at McCook)
Sept. 19 – Central CC 3, North Platte 0 (at North Platte)
Sept. 24 – McCook CC 3, North Platte 0 (at McCook
Sept. 30 – North Platte 3 Southeast CC 1 (at Lincoln)
Oct. 2 – Central CC 3, Southeast 1 (at Lincoln)
Oct. 8 – McCook CC 3, Central CC 1 (at Columbus)

Oct. 15 – McCook CC 3, Southeast CC 0 (at McCook)
REMAINING NCCAC SCHEDULE (All games at 6 p.m.)
Oct. 17 – North Platte at Central CC
Oct. 22 – McCook CC at North Platte