CASPER, WYO. – The Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team survived test one in capturing a sweep over Yavapai College in the first-round of the NJCAA Division I national tournament in Casper, Wyoming, Thursday.

                The Cougars powered their way to the win registering 47 kills, including 15 from Barbara Rabanal-Biriceno with 15 points and 13 digs. WNCC won 25-13, 25-13, 25-20.

                WNCC also received 11 kills from Lara Picht and 10 kills from Jady Gerotto.

                The win moves the Cougars into a quarterfinal match with Missouri State-West Plains, who defeated North Idaho in five games.

                WNCC pretty much dominated play from the get-go, leading from start to finish in the first game. WNCC took control with a four-point service run by Biricenio. WNCC went up 18-9 on a Kaylee Spreier kill. WNCC capped the first game on two Picht kills.

                The second game saw Yavapai lead only twice and with the score knotted 5-5 started to open it up behind two kills each from Picht and Biriceno to open up an 18-10. WNCC put the match away as Gerotto had four service points and then Spreier and Maraea O'Connor put a block up for the win.

                WNCC raced to an 8-2 lead behind four points from Keala Kaio-Perez and led 13-7. Yavapai came back to cut the lead to 15-14 and later 18-16 and slowly put the match away on kills from Picht and Kennedy Cyza.

                Fabiana Andrade had a double-double of 11 digs and 37 assists. She also had two kills. Spreier finished with three kills and two assist blocks. Also, O'Connor had five kills, two digs, and three block assists; Picht had three digs; Gerotto had too digs, two assists, and two aces; Kaio=Perez had six digs, Fautino Manu had eight digs, and Katy Ernest had to digs.