Your future, our focus
By DAVID DICKEY
Powell Tribune Sports Editor
The Northwest College volleyball team opened Region IX Conference play at home last week with losses to Central Wyoming College and Western Wyoming College.
Despite losing six of seven games during match losses Friday and Saturday, the Lady Trappers remained upbeat about the progress they have made during the early portion of the schedule.
"We feel like we're so close to being right there with the teams we're playing," said NWC head coach Jesseca Cross. "We just have to take care of little details. Once we do that, I think we'll start winning matches. This team rises to the occasion. Now if we can play a little better and eliminate some of the mistakes like not communicating well enough, we should be in good shape."
Cross also noted the Lady Trappers will get a boost once injured players Kim Suter and Maddie Peterson return to the lineup. Both freshmen sustained
injuries recently. Peterson suffered an ankle sprain during NWC's trip to Arizona Sept. 6-8, and Suter sustained a shoulder injury last week. Peterson is listed as day-to-day, while Suter may be out for several weeks.
Against Central Wyoming Friday afternoon, the Lady Trappers lost three straight games 30-22,
30-20, 30-20. According to NWC assistant coach Tammy Hays, the Lady Trappers stayed close throughout each game against the Rustlers, who finished last season with a 28-14 record.
"The girls played well," Hays said, noting that Central Wyoming had a definite advantage as far as height and depth. "Our girls played with a lot of energy, and that's important when you don't have the size and depth of the teams you're facing."
Against the Rustlers, a number of Lady Trappers enjoyed solid performances, including Charcie Peabody. The sophomore finished with a team-high eight kills and tied for the team lead in digs with 14. Whitnie McDonald, also a sophomore, added seven kills and 14 digs, while Angie Dausman contributed with three kills and 14 digs. Sophomore Shawna Sutherland added six kills, and Angela Schuman finished with 21 assists.
On Saturday, in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd dominated by NWC fans, the Lady Trappers lost three of four games against Western Wyoming.
However, the Lady Trappers gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about early on in the contest. The Lady Trappers played the Mustangs close in the first game before falling 30-28.
In game two, the Lady Trappers erased a 24-18 deficit en route to an emotional 30-26 win. They followed by dropping the last two games 30-19, 30-23.
During Saturday's loss, Mc- Donald again enjoyed a standout effort. She finished with 18 kills and 16 digs. Peabody added nine kills, four assists and 27 digs.
Other leaders in kills for NWC included Schuman with seven, Breanne Robirds with six and Sutherland with five.
In addition to Peabody and McDonald, the Lady Trappers had four other players with 12 or more digs, including Schuman (16), Jennifer McKibben (15), Dausman (13) and Robirds (12). Schuman also had 38 assists.
"The second game was a lot of fun," Cross said of her team's come-from-behind win Saturday. "We were all excited and jumping around like a bunch of little kids."
Overall, the Lady Trappers are 5-18 and 0-2 in conference play. However, they will have a chance to improve on that mark Tuesday (today) when they face Sheridan College at Hank Cabre Gymnasium at 7 p.m.
"I feel like we're right where we need to be," Cross said. "If we can do little things better, we'll be fine. The girls always come prepared to play, and I feel good about what they can accomplish as the season progresses."