MCC women upset Otero in Region IX volleyball meet

Steve Kodad/McCook Daily Gazette Vanessa Bartilla of McCook Community College serves against Otero (Colo.) Junior College in first-round action at the Region IX South Division volleyball tournament Nov. 1 at the MCC Events Center in McCook. MCC upset Otero in five sets.

McCook Community College head volleyball coach Natalie Alred has been telling anyone that will listen that her Lady Indians team is getting better.

Bet the Otero (Colo.) Junior College squad believes it.

MCC upset Otero in five sets in opening-round action at the Region IX South Division tournament Thursday evening, Nov. 1. The tournament is being held at the new MCC Events Center in McCook.

Steve Kodad/McCook Daily Gazette McCook Community College freshman Beth Helmick passes the volleyball during Region IX South Division volleyball tournament play vs. Otero (Colo.) Junior College Nov. 1. Helmick tipped a shot over the Otero block for the winning point in MCC's five-set upset victory at the MCC Events Center in McCook.

The hosts dropped the first two sets to the LaJunta, Colo. squad by scores of 25-17 and 25-21. MCC then came back and evened the match with 26-24 and 25-20 wins in sets three and four to force a deciding fifth set.

Beth Helmick's tip over the Otero blockers found the floor and gave the Lady Indians a 15-11 win in the final set for a 3-2 match victory.

McCook takes a five-match win streak into second-round action Friday, Nov. 2 at 9 a.m. The Lady Indians, the bottom seed in the six-team field, will face second-seed Northeastern Junior College of Sterling, Colo. Northeastern had a first-round bye.

Steve Kodad/McCook Daily Gazette Samantha Kramer of McCook Community College stretches to try and block a shot by Otero (Colo.) Junior College as MCC teammate Kyra Stark (3) looks on in opening-round action at the Region IX South Division volleyball tournament at the MCC Events Center in McCook Nov. 1.

Trinidad State topped Lamar in a five-set battle of Colorado two-year schools in Thursday night's other first-round match. Trinidad won the match by scores of 25-18, 25-27, 25-19, 19-25, 15-12. Trinidad State will face top seed Western Nebraska C.C. of Scottsbluff in second-round play Friday, Nov. 2 at 11 a.m.

Four more matches are slated for Friday, with two and possibly three matches on tap Saturday, Nov. 3 to decide the champion in the double-elimination tournament.