MCC spikers take a tough Region loss at Trinidad

TRINIDAD, Colo. -- The McCook Community College volleyball team dropped a key Region IX south game Friday on the road to Trinidad State. The Trojans locked up third place in the standings with a 25-21, 25-22, 25-18 win.

Friday’s loss also pushes MCC back to fourth place in the south standings meaning the Indians will face the top seed in the north standings to begin the Region IX Tournament Wednesday in Cheyenne, Wyo.

Trinidad State improves to 22-8 and 5-4 in the south and will play the second seeded team from the north.

MCC goes to 3-6 in the south and 20-11 overall. The Lady Indians wrap up the regular season Saturday with a 10 a.m. match against last place Otero College (0-9, 6-27).

“This far into the season I'd like to hope we were playing better, but we’re just not putting some things together,” said MCC Coach Hayley Kobza. “We just have to be done with today and focus on tomorrow because there is still work to be done.”

Sophomores Caylin Barnett (McCook) and Romina Martinez Castro (Cochabamba, Bolivia) both had seven kills. Barnett also had 11 digs and a service ace. Martinez had nine digs and an ace. Emerie Rios (sophomore, Sterling, Colo.) was credited with six kills and two assist blocks. Sophomore Rowan Tribelhorn (Yuma, Colo.) had five kills, four assist blocks and a solo and two digs

Cibeles Bothwell (sophomore Spring, Texas) had 10 digs, two assists and an ace.

Freshmen Megan Walker (Haxtun, Colo.) and Abby Thompson (Bison, S.D.) had 13 and 11 assists respectively and two digs each.

Freshman Charlee Russick (Berthoud, Colo.) had three kills, six digs and a block and freshman Ella Verts (Marshall, Mo.) had two kills.

No. 4 Northeastern Junior College (27-4) wrapped up the south division Wednesday with a 3-0 sweep over No. 16 Western Nebraska (26-80). Those two teams have finished out the regional schedule and have clinched the top two seeds from the south.

Only the top four teams in each division advance to the Region IX tournament which begins Wednesday in Cheyenne, Wyo. hosted by Laramie County Community College. As the top seed in the south, NJC faces the fourth place team in the north, Western Nebraska the third place team.

Eastern Wyoming has emerged the top team in the north (10-0, 22-8) but there are still six games remaining this weekend. Western Wyoming (7-3) is second, Central Wyoming is third at 6-5, Laramie County fourth at 5-5, Casper fifth at 5-5, Northwest College sixth at 3-8 and Gillette College 0-10 will not qualify for the post-season tournament.