SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. -  The Western Nebraska Community College volleyball dropped the first set and then responded by taking the next three in earning the 22-25, 25-22, 25-13, 25-18 conference win over Trinidad State College Friday at Cougar Palace on sophomore night.
WNCC won their sixth straight match and move their record to 14-18 on the season. More importantly, the Cougars are guaranteed the second seed in the Region IX tournament which begins November 5 at Cougar Palace. WNCC is 11-2 in the conference with one conference game left when they travel to Northeastern Junior College on Wednesday. NJC is 12-0 in conference and 27-3 overall.
The win was special for the team but it was more meaningful for the sophomores that were recognized after the game. Dani Cruz, one of those sophomores, said winning today was important as the team continues to gain steam for the regional tournament.
“Winning today was really important; we’ve been building momentum for regionals and I believe that if we keep our level the same, regionals will be a success,” Cruz, who finished the match with 19 kills, said. “I think we were playing kind of flat that first set but then coach motivated us to play harder and more aggressive.”
Kyana Gabriel, who finished with 15 kills in the win, said this was important as they know that regionals will be held at Cougar Palace and they just need to build off it.
“I thought the comeback was pretty good. We were able to find our rhythm and then I think the competitiveness came out in everyone after that first set,” she said.
Gabriel, Cruz, and Jaylen Nachtigall all spend three seasons at WNCC and those three seasons have been special to the number of friends they have made over that time. That makes leaving next year difficult.
“Knowing that we left our mark here is something amazing,” Cruz said about her time at WNCC. “I think this town and the people you meet here will really change you for the better, the freshman realizing the mark that sophomores make, us sophomores realizing that our time here is almost over really puts nostalgia on the atmosphere. It really is an honor to see how much people appreciate us.”
For Gabriel she, too, is thankful for the time spent in western Nebraska.
“I feel like it will be pretty hard to leave especially because of the community that I have grown to love just playing here and just from all the friends and family I have made,” she said. “I thought the sophomore recognition was really good, especially of all the support and everyone coming out to support us tonight. That and along with the win that we took as well, which made it even better.”
Friday night was a contest where the Cougars had to fight. The first time these two teams met on October 3, WNCC won in five sets after dropping the first set.
Friday night, the Cougars dropped the first set 25-22. With memories what happened on October 3 in their heads, the Cougars responded and refused to go five with the Trojans.
The second set saw WNCC jump out to a 4-1 lead but were then outscored 8-2 as Trinidad led 9-6. The Trojans led 19-15 and that was when the Cougar momentum changed. Gabriel hammed down a kill and then Gabriel served three points to tie the set at 19-9. The two teams were knotted at 21-21 when Cruz got a kill and then Natalia Nowak had two service points for a 24-21 win Cruz finished off the second set with a kill and the 25-22 win.
The third set saw WNCC dominated the set. Trinidad scored the first two points, but then Crus served three points with help from two kills from Keira Zelada and then a monster hammering kill from Gabriel for a 4-2 lead. The two squads were tied at 5-5 when things changed when the Cougars put together three strong serving runs. Emma Hergenreder started things with four points including two aces for a 10-5 lead. Gabriel followed with two and Nowak had three points with tow aces for an 18-8 lead. WNCC finished off the set at 25-13 on another gigantic, hard kill from Gabriel.
The fourth set was close for the start as the two teams were tied at nine. Cruz pounded down a kill and then Nowak had five points for a 15-9 lead. Trinidad cot to within 19-16, but WNCC got the serve back on a missed serve and Cruz finished off the set with two service points for the win.
Gabriel had a triple-double in the match with 15 kills, 12 digs, and 12 service points with three aces. Nowak also had a triple-double with 46 set assists, 14, digs, and 14 points.
Cruz had 19 kills to lead both teams while also getting seven points and five digs. Zelada tallied nine kills with three solo blocks followed by Maria Niedzwiecka with five kills and two solo blocks. Nadiyyah Northern had four kills with three assist blocks; Hergenreder had five digs with nine points and two aces; and Alex Gonzalez-Orozco had 13 digs and four set assists with a kill.