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Higher seeds control RPAC tournament openers
BARTLEY, Neb. — Southwest shook off a first-set loss to join all four top seeds who won on Thursday and advanced into Monday’s RPAC tourney semifinals.
The East No. 1 Roughriders (24-3 record) fell 25-22 against a feisty 15-12 Bertrand squad.
Yet the ’Riders regained their balance to deliver 25-20, 25-7, and a final 26-24 thrilling victory.
Senior record-setting setter Bryn Lampe was busy with 32 helpers dispersed among big hitters like Kyra Nelms, who crushed a team-high 17 blasts that sank Viking upset hopes.
Atleigh Nelms cannon-balled another 10, Payton Truksa six and Anikka Nelms five kills.
Kyra Nelms also made four huge stuff blocks and served three aces.
Truksa aced four times while libero Allison Van Pelt (15 digs) joined leading digger Altleigh Nelms (17) in stabilizing the Southwest floor defense.
The Roughriders will remain at home in for Monday’s latest showdown with East No. 2 Cambridge (22-3 record).
Cambridge swept both Arapahoe 25-16, 25-20, 25-13; and East No. 3 Southern Valley 25-19, 25-19, 25-15 off the Trojans’ home floor Thursday evening.
They bounced the Warriors behind senior Jaylen Kent’s 15 kills after she drilled 14 past Southwest.
Kent also served four of nine Trojan aces with three from senior Brylyn Springer and Bailee Ahlemeyer’s two.
Junior Erin Johnson was her usual front-line force with nine kills.
No leaders were obatined for 7-16 Arapahoe, who later dropped a tough three-set elimination match to Medicine Valley.
Southern Valley (15-9) first dropped Med Valley (11-15) in three sets.
Senior Ann Bose and junior Adi Hunt led a strong attack against the Raiders during that opening match.
The Trojans took down those Eagles, though, with Johnson’s 12 kills and Kent 10.
Both Brylyn Springer and sophomore Mallory Springer served three aces. Top seeds Wallace and Paxton advanced on the West side where Wauneta-Palisade did win a five-set opener over Hitchock County. The Falcons recovered to dump Dundy County-Stratton.