STERLING, Colo. – No. 13 Northeastern Junior College swept the McCook Community College volleyball team Friday night for their 48th straight win against Region IX South teams. The Plainswomen won 25-10, 25-22 and 25-20.
“This was not a good showing for us,” said MCC Coach Hayley Kobza. “I don’t know what’s with the environment at NJC but I don’t think I’ve ever had a team come in and compete here.”
In the other Region IX game Friday, Western Nebraska swept Southeast Community College 3-0 to help clarify the post-season picture.
NJC, MCC and second-place WNCC have all clinched a spot in the Region IX post-season tournament. North Platte and Trinidad State are both battling to be the fourth and final team from the south that will advance to the tournament starting Nov. 4.
On Friday in Colorado, MCC opened the match committing 14 hitting errors with a -.229 hitting percentage. NJC dominated with seven blocks.
“At the end of the night as long as we compete we should be proud of how we played, but having 14 hitting errors in the first set is showing our lack of competitiveness,” said Kobza.
The Lady Indians trailed early in the second set but came back to tie the set at 17-17. NJC took a 20-16 lead and the Plainswomen held on for the 25-22. MCC came back to hit .343 in the second set. NJC got off to a 12-3 lead in the third set but MCC battled back to within a point at 21-20, but the Plainswomen closed out the match with a 4-1 run.
Freshman Relebohile Phamotse (Maseru, Lesotho) led all hitters in the match with 12 kills. Jade Powell (freshman, Sterling, Colo.) had seven kills and eight digs.
Sophomore Bobbi Starkebaum (Haxtun, Colo.) had three of MCC’s eight blocks along with six kills. Sophomore Shana Muller (Gretz-Armainvilliers, France) and freshman Tanna Bailey (Stoneham, Colo.) both had four kills and Bailey had two of MCC’s three service aces.
Zoe Mulholland (sophomore, Lander, Wyo.) led MCC with 28 assists and seven digs. Freshman libero Paula Urizar (Guatemala City, Guatemala) led the Lady Indians with 10 digs.
The home team out-hit MCC .309-.077. NJC had 22 total blocks in the match compared to eight for MCC.
NJC improves to 12-0 in the standings. The Plainswomen can clinch first place and the top seed in the south with a win Saturday against last-place Southeastern Community College (0-12).
MCC has clinched third place at 9-4 (16-14 overall) and the Lady Indians will close out the regular season Wednesday night at 6 p.m. against North Platte. That match starts at 6 p.m.
“We need to bounce back and finish our season strong before regionals,” said Kobza.
REGION IX SOUTH STANDINGS
Conference Overall
Northeastern JC 12-0 1.000 23-6
Western Nebraska 11-2 .846 20-13
McCook CC 9-4 .692 16-14
Trinidad State 6-6 .500 11-17
North Platte CC 6-7 .462 12-14
Lamar CC 4-8 .333 6-13
Otero College 2-11 .154 5-18
Southeast CC 0-12 .000 4-21
FRIDAY RESULTS
Northeast JC 3, MCC 0 (at Sterling, Colo.)
Western Nebraska 3, Southeast CC 0 (at Scottsbluff)
SATURDAY SCHEDULE
Southeast CC at Northeastern JC
Trinidad State at Lamar
WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE
North Platte at McCook, 6 p.m.
Northeastern JC at Western Nebraska
OCT. 30 SCHEDULE
Lamar at Southeast CC
Otero at Trinidad State
NOV. 4 – Nov. 7 – Region IX Tournament at Casper, Wyo.
Up-to-date information about MCC volleyball including up-to-date schedule and changes, livestream links for home games, rosters, photos, statistics and more can be found on the MCC Athletics website,
www.mccindians.com
