Your future, our focus
Cross notes gains made by team during Region IX setback
By DAVID DICKEY
Powell Tribune Sports Editor
The Northwest College volleyball team traveled to face Sheridan College Tuesday night and dropped three games en route to a Region IX match loss. Following the setback, NWC's Region IX record stood at 2-6.
Against Sheridan, NWC fell 30-20, 30-22 and 30-21, and Lady Trapper head coach Jesseca Cross said her team wasn't as sharp as it was during last week's wins over Laramie County Community College and Eastern Wyoming College.
"Our timing was off just a little bit," Cross said. "We never were able to get on a roll, but the girls were still able to stay pretty close against a team that is considered the best in our region. Even though we didn't play our best, I thought we took steps in the right direction."
Particularly gratifying for Cross was the play of Shawna Sutherland. Cross said the 5-11 sophomore from Albin continued to emerge as a leader for the Lady Trappers through her play on the court and by her actions off of it.
"Shawna has taken on a huge leadership role for us,"Cross said. "At the start of the season, she didn't show a lot of confidence in herself. She's so passionate about the game, and she wants to win so bad. I think she put too much pressure on herself, but she's been able to change her mindset and it's made her a more confident player and one the other girls look to. She understands the game so well, and she's got great skills. I've just been so impressed with the progress she's made this season."
Cross said Sutherland and fellow sophomore Whitnie Mc- Donald continued to show the leadership the Lady Trappers need for the stretch run during a team meeting on the bus ride back to Powell.
"We have a lot of girls who are buying into the thought process that we have a team capable of winning the region," Cross said. "Our record doesn't show just how much improvement the girls have made. They're so close to playing at a level where they can win against teams people don't believe they can beat. For that to happen, we've got to have everybody believing that."
Cross added her team is getting near that point. Just last weekend, the Lady Trappers went on a retreat that focused on team work, and she said that has been a tremendous help.
"We just have to keep chipping away and meshing as a team," Cross said. "If we do that, they're only going to get better and start winning more games."
The Lady Trappers were scheduled to play Miles Community College Wednesday night in Powell. Details from that match will be included in the Oct. 16 edition of the Powell Tribune. NWC also has a scheduled road match with Casper College Saturday at 2 p.m. Following that match, the Lady Trappers will play three more regular season matches on the road before
turning their attention to the Region IX Tournament, which is set to get under way Nov. 1.