It will be a busy weekend for the fourth-ranked Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team as they get set to host five matches in the next three days.

                It all gets started tonight (Thursday] when the 15-3 Cougars have their home opener at 7 p.m. against Western Wyoming Community College, a team that was ranked in No. 15 a week ago in the NJCAA national polls. Since then, the Mustangs dropped to 2-8 after forfeiting some matches. WNCC beat Western Wyoming earlier in the season at Rock Springs, Wyoming, 25-21, 25-22, 26-24.

                After tonight's home opener, WNCC will co-host the WyoBraska Shootout with Eastern Wyoming College. 16 teams will be in attendance for the 2-day Classic that features eight matches each day beginning at 10 a.m.

                WNCC's schedule for the WyoBraska Shootout will be competitive. The Cougars open up Friday morning against Utah State-Eastern out of Price, Utah, at 10 a.m. followed by a matchup of the No. 4 and 5 teams in the nation at 2 p.m. when Northwest College and the Cougars take to the court.

                It will be the second time in a week the two top-five teams in the nation have hooked up. WNCC defeated Northwest in five games at the Pizza Hut Invite in Sterling, Colorado, last Friday capturing the final three games 24-26, 16-25, 26-24, 25-20, 15-6 for the win.

                Saturday's slate of matches for WNCC will have the Cougars facing Garden City Community College at 10 a.m. followed by Sheridan College at 2 p.m. the Garden City match will be interesting as the new Broncbuster head coach Jacquelynne Matula was an assistant with WNCC last year.

                Saturday's two matches will also see two former Panhandle volleyball players return to the area in Scottsbluff's Makayla Castro for Garden City and Chadron's Maaryn Davis.

                WNCC, in the meantime, is looking to get back on a winning streak. Currently, the Cougars have won two straight after having a 11-match streak snapped by Casper on Saturday in five games at Sterling.. WNCC rebounded from that loss by dropping Casper in four games on Tuesday 24-26, 25-18, 25-19, 25-19 on the road.

                In that Casper match, the Cougars received a balanced attack, including the return of outside hitter Jady Gerotto, who missed last week with an ankle injury.

                The five home matches this week can be watched on the web at wnccathletics.com.

Complete WyoBraska Shootout Schedule

Friday, Sept. 18
@ Scottsbluff, Nebraska
10 a.m. -- WNCC vs. Utah State-Eastern, LCCC vs. Seward
Noon -- Williston vs. Utah State-Eastern, Western Wyo. vs. NE Nebraska
2 p.m. -- WNCC vs. NW Wyoming, NE Nebraska vs. LCCC
4 p.m. -- NW Wyoming vs. Williston, Seward vs. Western Wyo.
@ Torrington, Wyoming
10 a.m. -- EWC vs. Trinidad, Casper vs. NJC
Noon -- Central Wyo. vs. McCook, Sheridan vs. Garden City
2 p.m. -- EWC vs. McCook, Garden City vs. Casper
4 p.m. -- NJC vs. Central Wyo.. Trinidad vs. Sheridan

Saturday, Sept. 19
@ Scottsbluff, Nebraska
10 a.m. -- WNCC vs. Garden City, Utah State-Eastern vs. Sheridan
Noon -- Garden City vs. NW Wyoming, Williston vs. NJC
2 p.m. -- WNCC vs. Sheridan, Utah State-Eastern vs. Casper
4 p.m. -- NJC vs. NW Wyoming, Casper vs. Williston
@ Torrington, Wyoming
10 a.m. -- EWC vs. Seward, Western Wyo. vs. McCook
Noon -- Central Wyo. vs. NE Nebraska, LCCC vs. Trinidad
2 p.m. -- EWC vs. NE Nebraska, Trinidad vs. Western Wyo.
4  p.m. -- Seward vs. Central Wyo., McCook vs. LCCC