MCC sweeps Dallas team to finish journey into Texas

GAINESVILLE, Texas – The McCook Community College volleyball split two more games Saturday on the second day of the North Central Texas Tournament. MCC finishes the weekend 2-2 after losing Saturday's first match 3-1 to North Central and coming back to down Dallas College Brookhaven 3-0.

"After a tough defeat this morning I am very proud of the way our girls rallied together to win our second match," said MCC Coach Hayley Kobza.

MCC improves to 9-3 on the season.

"This was of the first time I've seen our girls really come together and play some clean volleyball," said Kobza.

The coach cited freshman middle Ella Verts (Marshall, Mo.) for her work on the day. She was credited with four blocks in the North Central match and five against Dallas Brookhaven.

"Shout out to Ella Verts for coming in and putting a solid block up our team on defense," said Kobza. "Overall I'm very impressed with our girls and competing after our extended time on the road."

After three four-match tournaments in the first three weekends of the season, the Lady Indians get a break in the schedule playing just one match over a 10-day period.

MCC begins Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference play Friday against Southeast Community College. The match also marks SECC's move games from the Beatrice campus to games in Lincoln.

The Lady Indians return to the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center Sept. 18 for a 6 p.m. against NCCAC foe Central Community College.

Up-to-date information about MCC volleyball including livestream links, schedule, statistics, rosters, photos and more can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS 3, McCOOK CC 1: The Lions picked up a highly contested matchup in four sets 26-24, 26-24, 22-25 and 25-23.

Sophomore Caylin Barnett (Southwest High School) paced the attack with a team-high 14 kills along with two assist blocks and eight digs.

Sophomore Romina Martinez Castro (Cochabamba, Bolivia) chipped in 10 kills, two assist blocks, an ace and four digs. Charlee Russick (freshman, Berthoud, Colo.) had eight kills, one block and 10 digs.

Rowan Tribelhorn (sophomore Yuma, Colo.) had 11 kills, three assist blocks and a solo block while freshman Ella Verts had three kills, and four assist blocks.

Sophomore Cibeles Bothwell (Spring, Texas) led MCC with 17 digs and one assist.

Abby Thompson (freshman, Bison, S.D.) led MCC with 28 digs along with nine digs, two assist blocks and an ace.

Freshman Audrey Holm (Paxton) added three digs and an ace and freshman Ailynn Wright (Sterling, Colo.) added an ace.

McCOOK CC 3, DALLAS-BROOKHAVEN 0: After winning the first set 25-22, the Lady Indians hit their rhythm to close out the match winning the second and third sets 25-8, 25-14.

Charlee Russick had 12 kills, six digs and a block. Caylin Barnett had eight kills, 14 digs and five assist blocks. Romina Martinez had eight kills, 11 digs and two blocks.

Rowan Tribelhorn had five assist blocks, one solo block and three kills. Ella Verts was credited with four assist blocks and one solo.

Ailynn Wright had five digs and three aces.

Cibeles Bothwell led MCC with 19 digs. Abby Thompson paced the passing game with 31 assists to go along with seven digs, four aces and a block.