Santanna Mitchell tallied a career best 18 kills and the second ranked Western Nebraska Community College volleyball registered a four-game 25-16, 25-22, 24-26, 25-15 win over Otero Junior College Thursday evening at Cougar Palace.
Mitchell, a Gering High graduate, also tallied two solo blocks in the Cougars' ninth straight win pushing their record to 22-3 on the season.
The Cougars did receive a balanced effort in the win. Lara Picht finished with 12 kills while Maraea O'Connor nine kills. Jady Gerotto eight kills and Kennedy Cyza six kills.
Despite the four-game win, it wasn't the Cougars best performance and the team realizes it.
"It wasn't pretty. The first set we passed and did everything we were supposed to," Mitchell said. "But once we started making mistakes, it was our downfall. We have to realize that we need to cut it and push onto the next point."
WNCC has been off for over a week, last playing Sept. 23 at McCook. Mitchell said the layoff was not a factor.
"No, I don't think the long layoff had an effect," she said. "It is different for us not have a game as much as we did. But we practiced hard all week so we were totally ready for this match.?
When WNCC was on, they were playing like a true number two-ranked team. But, when they were making the mistakes like they did late in the second game and the third game, they are not the usual Cougar team the fans are used to seeing.
Mitchell said the key is when they make a mistake; they have to minimize the mistakes and go on strong the next play.
"We did start the second set well, but then everybody was making little mistakes," she said. "Everyone makes one in a row and it starts adding up and then we have a hard time fighting back.
"That is a huge downfall with us. When we usually make a mistake, we make a couple in a row and dig ourselves a whole. For most of the year we have been doing OK getting out of them. We just have to make a mistake, shake it off, get a side out, and get back in it."
The first game was all WNCC as they ran out to a 13-4 lead behind four points from Gerotto and two kills from Cyza. WNCC went up 22-11 on four Picht points before winning 25-16.
The Cougars started game two strong, rolling to an 11-2 lead behind seven points from Kaylee Spreier, including two kills from Mitchell.
Otero, however, stayed strong as they cut the lead to 21-18 on four points each from Bri Murphy and Taylor Gibson. WNCC finally won the game 25-22 on a Picht kill.
WNCC got behind the eight ball quickly in the third game at 6-1 before Spreier had four service points to tie the game at 6-6. Otero stayed strong, taking advantage of the Cougars' miscues to hold a 17-13 and later 22-19 lead.
The Cougars battled back to tie the game at 22-22 on kills from Spreier and Picht. WNCC, hoever never could get the lead at the Rattlers stole a game from the Cougars 26-24.
Other led WNCC 6-4 in the fourth game. That was until O'Connor and Mitchell each served three points for an 11-7 lead. WNCC kept excelling as they led 19-11 and then 23-12 on three O'Connor points and two Cyza kills. WNCC won the final game 25-15.
Besides all the players with top offensive outings, WNCC also had plenty of highlights around the court. O'Connor finished with 1o points, two aces, and five set assists; Gerotto had five blocks and five points; Fabiana Andrade had 46 set assists, four kills, eight points, and eight digs; Picht had six points and two aces; Spreier had 11 points, two aces, four digs, and two aces; Fuatino Manu had 11 digs; and Katy Ernest with four digs.
WNCC has little time to worry about how they played in the win Thursday, having a home contest today against Lamar Community College at 6 p.m. and then Trinidad State Saturday at 1 p.m.
Mitchell said they need to use the Otero match as motivation for the rest of the week.
"We have to use this as motivation for tomorrow and finish from set one to set three," she said.
