NJC sweeps MCC volleyball in Region IX play

Northeastern Junior College, the region's first-place team, downed McCook Community College Wednesday night in straight sets 25-13, 25-23, and 25-18.

"This isn't where we wanted to be this time of the season," said MCC Coach Hayley Kobza. "But I will always say 'when we lose, we learn,' so that's exactly what tonight was about."

Wednesday's match win by NJC in the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center was the eighth straight win for the Plainswomen who improve to 7-0 in the Region IX standings and 17-10 overall.

MCC falls to 17-13 and 3-5 in the north division standings.

Freshman Thaynara Isabela (São Paulo, Brazil) led the MCC attack with nine kills to go along with five digs, two assist blocks and one ace. Makayla Brown (freshman, Colorado Springs) had six kills. Sophomore Mia Pena (Greeley, Colo.) had three kills and two assist blocks.

"Our middles did really well tonight," Kobza said.

Sophomore Jordan Jerome (Rawlins, Wyo.) had five kills, nine digs, one ace and one assist block. Amerika Jones (sophomore, Honolulu, Hawaii) had five kills.

Sophomore Janie Sommer (Maxwell) led MCC with 20 assists in the match to go along with 11 digs. Freshman McKenna Crews (Loveland, Colo.) had 11 digs, two aces and four assists. Freshman Jaycee Widener, (Maywood-Hayes Center) had four assists and one ace.

"We will try to fix the small things before Friday and try to go from there," Kobza said.

MCC will remain at home for the rest of the regular season and host North Platte (16-13) Friday at 7 p.m. for a Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference match. MCC leads the NCCAC with a 4-0 mark, North Platte and Central Community College are tied in second place at 3-2.

MCC will wrap up the NCCAC schedule Saturday at 4 p.m. in the second match of a triangular against Central. MCC will open the triangular at noon against Lamar.

Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference Standings

                           W – L         PCT.             OVERALL

McCook               4 – 0          1.000                  17-13

Central CC           3 – 2            .500                  15-17

North Platte         3 – 2            .500                  16-13

Southeast CC       0 – 6            .000                   9-23

NCCAC RESULTS

Sept. 2 – McCook 3, Southeast 0 (at McCook)

Sept. 7 – McCook 3, North Platte 2 (at North Platte)

Sept. 8 – Central CC 3, Southeast 1 (at Beatrice)

Sept. 15 – North Platte 3, Central CC 0 (at North Platte)

Sept. 29 – North Platte 3, Southeast 0 (at North Platte)

Oct. 5 – McCook 3, Southeast 1 (at Beatrice)

               Central CC 3 North Platte 0 (at Columbus)

Oct. 6 – McCook 3, Central CC (at Columbus)

Oct. 12 – North Platte 3, Southeast 1 (at Beatrice)

Oct. 20 – Central CC 3, Southeast 0 (at Columbus)

NCCAC REMAINING SCHEDULE

Oct. 22 – North Platte at McCook, 7 p.m.

Oct. 23 – Central CC at McCook 4 p.m.