Aug. 28—The first day of classes at Southwestern Community College was capped by an impressive home debut by the Spartan volleyball team Monday in a 3-1 victory over Southeast (Nebraska) Community College.
The Spartans dropped only one set in defeating the Bobcats 25-17, 20-25, 25-17, 25-17. Southeast fell to 1-4 for the season as Southwestern improved to 3-2.
First-year Spartan coach Alyssa Jeffery, a former Iowa Western Community College player and coach at Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln before taking over the Spartan program, said the victory in front of a good opening night crowd was a positive step.
"That second set we had a little hiccup there," Jeffery said. "Our communication on the court was definitely better after that second set, and we carried that into the fourth set very well. When we communicated we executed our hitting well."
Jeffery has a mix of five returning sophomores from last year's team coached by Brianna Maitlen, and six newcomers including former Lenox standout Sadie Cox. The 6-foot middle blocker contributed seven kills and six blocks Monday, including a thundering attack from a set by Madelyn Wilson that finished the match.
One of the top overall players on the team, sophomore Maddie Richter of Anita, and freshman Ava Sales of Cedar Rapids each had a team-high nine kills against the Bobcats. Freshman setter Cambree Smothers of Glenwood finished with 18 assists and 13 digs. Sophomore Sophie Rahe was solid in the back row with a team-best 17 digs. Wilson helped the defense with 10 digs.
"I'm a big believer in serving, passing and defense wins volleyball games and we looked pretty good tonight," Jeffery said. "There are definitely some things we need to work on or just clean up, such as controlling our chaos — who is going for what. We have to talk to each other about who is going to go for which balls. That's what hurt us in the second set when we let up after winning that first set."
Cox was at the service line when Southwestern bolstered its 20-15 lead in the opening set to 24-15. The run included successive kills by Sales and a slam to the floor by returning sophomore Addison Martin. Southeast rallied from a 7-2 deficit in the second set to tie the match at 1-1 with a 25-20 win.
The Spartans again raced to an eight-point lead in set three (11-3) and sailed from there to the 25-17 triumph. The fourth set was even much of the way. With Southwestern leading 16-13, Cox pounded a kill from the middle and Martin tipped to an open spot deep in the Bobcat court.
Sales served an ace as the Spartans moved in front 22-15. Rahe served the final three points of the 25-17 clinching win.
Southwestern traveled to Western Iowa Tech on Wednesday before participating in the Red Raven Tournament Friday and Saturday at Coffeyville, Kansas. The next home match is next Wednesday against Iowa Lakes Community College at 6 p.m.
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