Southwest spikers knock off defending D-1 champs ...again

Southwest junior Kyra Nelms (6) soars to one of her match-high 11 kills Thursday night against defending Class D-1 state champion Overton. Many were off assists from freshman Aspen Billeter (10) as the Roughriders reached 21-0 this season by beating both Overton and Alma in Bartley.

R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette

BARTLEY, Neb. — There’s no oops we did it again...the Southwest Roughriders are just that good as they swept defending Class D-1 champ Overton Thursday evening.

The Roughriders are now 21-0 as they also topped those Eagles in Saturday’s Sutherland Invite title match.

Oh by the way, Overton’s only lost two of its 20 matches to other foes this fall (18-4 record).

Kyra Nelms clobbered 11 kills in Thursday’s rematch, senior Atleigh Nelms eight and five from senior Peyton Truksa.

Freshman Aspen Billeter served four aces when she wasn’t dealing out a team-best 22 assists.

Seniors Anastasia Gallegos and Atleigh Nelms each made five digs — though a lot of Eagle hits didn’t get past six total Southwest blocks.

Kyra Nelms blocked three while Truksa added two.

Junior Daisy Ryan’s 10 kills topped the Eagle attack in this Cancer Awarness night at Bartley.

After Overton recovered to down Alma, the Roughriders made a good Cardinal team (16-7) 0-2 on this night with another 25-6, 26-24 conquest.

The powerhouse Nelms 1-2-3 punch featured Atleigh’s eight with six each from Kyra and twin sister Anikka Nelms. Senior Allison VanPelt served three aces with two more from Atleigh Nelms.

Billeter delivered 20 assists during this match while again totaling a team-best eight digs.

VanPelt added six with Truksa saving another four.

Alma’s Chayse Molzahn and Tierston Moore totaled four kills apiece, but it wasn’t nearly enough to knock off this unbeaten juggernaut.