The top-ranked Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team captured its 14th straight victory in sweeping past Western Texas College and Garden City Community College in the first day of the WNCC Classic.
The Cougars opened the day by getting a 12-kill performance from Barbara Rabanal in taking out the Westerners 25-8, 25-23, 25-18. WNCC wrapped up the first-day by recording 41 kills in sweeping past Garden City Community College 25-10, 25-13, 25-18 to move to 27-3 on the season.
In other action in the WNCC Classic, Garden City swept McCook Community College 26-24, 25-16, 25-16 and Western Texas took care of McCook 25-14, 25-16, 25-14.
The Classic continues today with five games. Garden City and Western Texas begin the day at 9 a.m. followed by WNCC facing McCook at 11 a.m. Western Texas then faces Casper College at 1 p.m. followed by McCook taking on Garden City at 3 p.m. WNCC wraps up the Classic by facing Casper College at 5 p.m.
Jady Gerotto, who tallied 13 kills in the two wins on Friday, said they played alright except for a few hiccups in a couple games.
"We played very good [against Garden City] but the third set we were way down," Gerotto said. "But I am so happy because we have a consecutive winning streak and we are playing together and it feels good as a team."
A big key in both wins on Friday was quick starts. Against Western Texas Fabiana Andrade had two strong service runs to start game one and two. Andrade served five straight points in game one and two. Then, against Garden City, Andrade had nine straight service points as WNCC led 10-0 to open the match.
Gerotto said the key in getting wins is starting strong and staying strong with no letdowns.
"We need to start strong from the beginning and keep that level and not get down," she said. "We have to think every single game is an important game and not think the other team is not good. We have to think they are good all the time. We actually need to think they are better than us so we have to push harder."
Overall, WNCC showed plenty of depth in both matches. Against WTC, seven different players recorded a kill and the Cougars got plenty of blocking. Rabanal led the team with 13 kills followed by Shaney Tiumalu with nine, Gerotto with seven, Andrade with five, Lara Picht and Santanna Mitchell with three, and Kaylee Spreier with two.
WNCC was even more team-oriented in the win against Garden City. The Cougars had nine players finish with at least a kill. Rabanal led the way with seven, followed by Picht and Gerotto with six, Andrade and Mitchell with five, Tiumalu and Kennedy Cyza with four, Spreier with two, and one from Vaniriz Vazquez.
Against Garden City, a team that featured former Scottsbluff standout volleyball player Makayla Castro at libero and last year's Cougar assistant Jacquelynne Matula as head coach, the Cougars had everything rolling in the first two games.
Game won saw WNCC get the 10-0 lead and ran the lead to 17-7 on back-to-back Mitchell kills before winning 25-10.
The second game was another strong serving game, where Rabanal had three straight points for a 12-3 lead. WNCC pushed the lead to 19-4 on three-straight Mitchell kills and six points from Keala Kaio-Perez before winning 25-13.
The third game was close as Garden City took a 14-10 lead after Castro had four service points, including an ace. WNCC came back as Tiumalu had four points behind two blocks by Cyza and two kills from Picht. Kaio-Perez added four service points for a 22-18 lead and then Katy Ernest served out the match with two points.
WNCC over Western Texas
25-8, 25-23, 25-18
KILLS – Fabi Andrade 5, Santanna Mitchell 3, Kaylee Spreier 2, Shaney Tiumalu 9, Barb Rabanal 12, Lara Picht 3, Jady Gerotto 7; BLOCKS – Picht 2, Gerotto 3, Cyza 1; DIGS – Andrade 6, Keala Kaio-Perez 9, Fautino Mano 3, Rabanal 9, Tiumalu 1, Katy Ernest 4, Gerotto 1, Picht 2; SET ASSISTS -- Andrade 25, Kaio-Perez 7, Rabanal 5; POINTS – Andrade 15, Kaio-Perez 3, Tiumalu 3, Rabanal 9, Picht 2, Gerotto 6; ACES – Andrade 2, Gerotto 2, Rabanal 1.
WNCC over Garden City
25-10, 25-13, 25-18
KILLS – Andrade 6, Mitchell 6, Spreier 2, Tiumalu 4, Rabanal 7, Picht 6, Gerotto 6, Cyza 4, Vaniriz Vazquez 1; BLOCKS – Tiumalu 1, Picht 1, Gerotto 1, Cyza 1; DIGS – Andrade 6, Kaio-Perez 6, Manu 4, Rabanal 4, Tiumalu 1, Ernest 3, Gerotto 1, Cyza 1, Alwaise Villa 1; SET ASSISTS – Andrade 33, Rabanal 1; POINTS – Andrade 11, Kaio-Perez 16, Tiumalu 7, Rabanal 7, Picht 1, Gerotto 3, Ernest 2; ACES – Andrade 3, Kaio-Perez 2, Rabanal 1.