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Trappers Play Four Home Matches In Two Days
Two conference rivals invaded Cabre Gym last week and were sent home losers, as the Northwest College Trappers remained undefeated in Region IX play.
The Trappers swept Laramie County Community College Friday night and repeated their performance Saturday afternoon by taking three straight sets from Eastern Wyoming.
Coach Shaun Pohlman said he saw “a different level of play” from his team during the two matches, particularly in the sweep of LCCC.
“LCCC has been doing pretty well,” he said. “Sweeping them was definitely saying something about us. I really thought we wouldn’t beat them in three.”
Early in the match, it looked as though Pohlman’s expectations would be met, as the Golden Eagles matched the Trappers point for point in the first set. Northwest led early, but midway through the set, the Eagles gained a one-point advantage, 14-13. During a series of side outs, the Trappers would tie the score only to give up a point to put the Eagles back in the lead. Northwest finally gained a one-point lead of their own, and expanded it to two at 23-21. Laramie County refused to give in, though, and they tied the score at 23. But, Teodora Tepavac tapped the ball into an opening in the Laramie County defense to put the Trappers at set point, and the Eagles passed Jelena Slijepcevic’s serve out of bounds to put NWC in the lead 1-0.
In set two, though, the Trappers didn’t give the Eagles a chance. A five-point run behind Tepavac’s serve put them up 9-3, and after giving up two points to LCCC, the Trappers regained the serve and Slijepcevic served an ace to start a six-point run. A Kaite Johnson kill made the score 16-5, and from there on the Trappers coasted to a 25-10 win that featured kills by Aleksandra Djordjevic, Tepavac, Tuiana Filiaga and Lauga Gauta.
Things improved for LCCC in the third set. A kill by Easton Clements that spoiled the Eagles’ opening serve was followed by two service aces by Tepavac and a kill by Lauga that resulted in a 4-0 Trapper lead. The Eagles fought back, though, tied the match at 15 all, and then took a 17-16 lead. But kills by Johnson and Tepavac put the Trappers back on top; and Slijepcevic’s serve led to five more points as the Trappers outscored the Eagles 8-2 to end the match 25-19. The last two points came on aces served by Tepavac.
Saturday’s outcome was never in doubt, as the Trappers took a 4-3 lead early in the first set and steadily stretched it onto a double-digit advantage at 17-7. From there, they traded points with Eastern and closed out a 25-15 win with two serves by Maliyah Tela that were not returned by the Lancers. A big factor in the set was a ferocious defense at the net that resulted in seven blocks.
“This was our best blocking performance this season, and I hope it’s here to stay,” Pohlman said. “We’ve been pushing that, trying to get more points on blocks. I hope that’s something we can keep up.”
In set two, the Lancers opened with a hot streak and led 6-1 before Northwest managed a side out. At that point, Djordjevic stepped into the server’s box and the Trappers used her serve to score nine straight points and take an 11-6 lead. From that point, they outscored the Lancers 14-6 to win the set 25-12.
As they did in set one, the Trappers took an early lead and built it into a double digit lead at 21-11. Eastern managed two side outs after that, but managed just one point on their own serve as the Trappers completed the sweep with a 25-14 win.
Pohlman said the weekend’s performance was a total team effort.
“We’re starting to see everybody taking responsibility for their positions and stepping up their game,” he said.
Pohlman said his team still has things they can improve on, but he believes they are committed to make those improvements.
“There’s a level of commitment we’re trying to achieve that’s not your average level, the level you might expect,” he said. “If we get there, it will really be something special.”
This week, Casper College and Sheridan College will come to Powell along with the Great Falls College JV team. The Trappers will take on Casper at 3 p.m. Thursday and Sheridan at 3 p.m. Friday. The visiting teams will take on Great Falls College following their matches with Northwest, and Northwest will play Great Falls at 7 p.m. both days.