MCC Volleyball rallies to win season-opener

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The McCook Community College volleyball team opened the season here Friday with a five-set win over Colorado Northwestern. After losing the first two sets 25-27 and 16-25 MCC responded to take the final three sets 26-24, 25-17, 15-13.

"I feel like the first match of the season is always the hardest," said MCC Coach Hayley Kobza. "We were up and down, but their attitudes still stayed up the whole time."

Sophomore Jordan Jerome (Rawlins, Wyo.) led the MCC attack with 16, kills, one ace, one assist block and 10 digs. Freshman Thaynara Isabela, (São Paulo, Brazil ) had 15 kills, one ace, three assists blocks and five digs.

From the middle, sophomore transfer Mia Pena, (Greeley, Colo.) had 13 kills and three assist blocks while freshmen Victoria Thomas, (Houston, Texas) was credited with eight kills, two aces, and six digs, and Makayla Brown, (Colorado Springs) had three kills, two aces, two assist blocks and five digs.

Sophomore Janie Sommer (Maxwell) had 28 assists and one kill and freshman Adeline McIntire (Paola, Kan.) had 17 assists.

"You work with your players for two to three weeks and you know they are mentally strong, but you really don't know until you compete," Kobza said. "We started strong and finished strong."

MCC will continue play Saturday with two games starting at noon against Dodge City and at 4 p.m. against Laramie County Community College. Next weekend MCC travels to Norfolk for four games in the Northeast Community College tournament Friday before returning for the home opener Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. against Southeast Community College.