MCC Volleyball wins NCCAC title with 3-2 win over Central

COLUMBUS – The McCook Community College volleyball team captured the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference championship Tuesday with a road win over Central Community College. MCC won 3-2.

"It was a great match of playing together and picking each other up no matter the score," said MCC Coach Hayley Kobza.

This is MCC's fourth conference championship in the past five years, having won in 2018, 2019, 2021.

MCC won 25-19, 11-25, 25-23, 17-25 and 15-8.

Freshman Fernanda Merancio (Lamar, Colo.) led MCC with 14 kills and one assist block,

"Fernanda had some crucial points for our team and really did well offensively," Kobza said.

Freshman Jordan Duzenack (Loveland, Colo.) returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing the last seven games with an injury. She added 11 kills and one assist block. Victoria Thomas (sophomore, Houston, Texas) had nine kills, one ace and 16 digs.

"Victoria Thomas had a solid defensive effort for us too," Kobza said.

Gabby Caskey (freshman, Ogallala) had six kills, three assist blocks, one solo, two aces and eight digs. Gracen Tuttle (freshman, Ogallala) had six kills, two solo blocks and one assist block. Makayla Brown (sophomore, Colorado Springs) was credited with two kills.

Alexis Pontine (freshman, Ignacio, Colo.) also returned to the lineup. She'd missed the past four games. She led MCC with 27 assists and added two assist blocks and an ace. Freshman Jessie Jerome (Rawlins, Wyo.) had 18 assists and seven digs.

Greta Bolognini (freshman, Bergamo Italy/ Parkview Christian, Lincoln, Neb.) had seven digs and one ace. Sophomore Jisell Chumacero (Eaton, Colo.) had an ace.

MCC closes out the NCCAC schedule with a 6-0 mark and improves to 16-8 overall.

The next match for MCC will be Thursday when the team travels to Lamar for a south sub-region match against the Lopes, who are 1-15 on the season and 0-6 in the Region IX south standings.

MCC's next home match will be Oct. 14 against Western Nebraska. The Cougars are 22-3 on the year and are ranked No. 6 nationally.

For all the up-to-date information on MCC volleyball this season including, schedules, statistics, rosters and photos, please visit the official website of MCC Athletics at mccindians.com

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NCCAC STANDINGS

                          W – L PCT.

McCook CC        6 - 0   1.000 *

Central CC         2 - 2     .500

Southeast CC     1 - 3     .333

North Platte CC  0 - 4     .000

*Clinches championship

NCCAC RESULTS:

Sept. 7 – McCook CC 3, North Platte CC 0 (at North Platte)

Sept 10 – McCook CC 3, Southeast CC 0 (at Beatrice)

Sept. 14 – McCook CC 3, Central CC 2 (at McCook)

Sept. 15 – Central CC 3, North Platte CC 1 (at North Platte)

Sept. 20 – McCook CC 3, North Platte CC 2 (at McCook)

Sept. 21 – Central CC 3, Southeast CC 0 (at Columbus)

Sept. 27 – McCook CC 3, Southeast CC 0 (at McCook)

Sept. 28 – Southeast CC 3, North Platte 2 (at North Platte)

Oct. 4 – McCook CC 3, Central CC 2 (at Columbus)

REMAINING NCCAC SCHEDULE

Oct. 6 – North Platte CC at Southeast CC, 6 p.m.

Oct. 12 – Central CC at Southeast CC, 6 p.m.

Oct. 19 – North Platte CC at Central CC, 6 p.m.