LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The 11th-ranked Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team hit the jackpot twice in the first day of the Lady Coyote Volleyball Invitational at the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas Friday.
The Cougars swept past Chandler-Gilbert Community College in straights sets 25-19, 25-14, 25-23 and then held off Utah State-Eastern in five thrilling sets 25-12, 25-21, 20-25, 20-25, 15-11.
The win moves the Cougars to 10-4 on the season. WNCC will finish off the Las Vegas Invite with a match-up with No. 4 Salt Lake Community College at 9 a.m. and then Arizona Western at noon.
In the opening win over Chandler Gilbert, Enna Masaki registered a double-double with 12 kills and 14 points. Masaki also tallied five digs and two aces.
Kaile Tuisamatatele and Gabi Canavati each tallied six kills in the win followed by five from Amryi-Grace Paris. Tuisamatatele also had two digs and two points.
Also for the Cougars, Jayme Commins finished with 27 set assists and four digs; Adia Sherbeyn had five digs and three points; Cami Esselin had four digs, four aces, and 16 points; Ana Costas tallied nine digs and two points; Leslie Mamai-Lagafuaina had two kills; and Logan Belford rounded out the kills with two.
The second match against Utah State-Eastern was a battle. WNCC captured the first two sets 24-12, 25-21 only to watch Utah State-Eastern rally back for 25-20 wins in sets three and four to force a fifth set. WNCC rebounded and won the fifth 15-11.
Masaki finished with a triple-double while Commins had a double-double. Masaki had 12 kills, 11 digs, 14 points, and two solo blocks. Commins had 35 set assists, 15 digs, five points, and two aces.
Tuisamatatele, Paris and Mamai-Lagafuaina each had eight kills followed by Belford with seven. Tuisamatatele had three solo blocks and seven points, while Paris had three solo blocks.
Also for the Cougars, Costas had 16 digs, eight points, and five set assists; Esselin had seven digs and nine points; and Canavati with two kills.