TORRINGTON – The Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) Lady Lancers battled conference rivals Central Wyoming College (CWC) and Northwest College in back-to-back home games over the weekend to post a 1-1 record.
On Friday, October 24, the Lady Lancers took CWC to four sets but ultimately came up short, 3-1.
EWC rallied and returned to win column on Saturday with the Lady Lancers defeating Northwest College in four sets, 3-1.
Monday featured a non-conference showdown between EWC and Northeastern Junior College. Top ranked Northeastern proved an uphill fight with the Lady Plainswomen entering the match the No. 1 team in the NJCAA Region IX and No. 4 nationwide in the NJCAA Division I.
When the dust settled, Northeastern swept EWC, although the Lady Lancers made the Lady Plainsmen fight for points, especially at the end of each of the three sets.
As EWC gears up for its final conference games of the regular season against Casper College and Gillette College this weekend, the Lady Lancers are 5-5 in conference play and 11-24 overall.
CWC
Central Wyoming took the first two sets, 25-21 and 25-9.
The Lady Lancers recovered to win the third set by three, 25-22.
Central Wyoming responded to take the fourth set, 25-19, for a 3-1 overall victory.
Sophomore Amarie Huntsman tallied double-digit kills against CWC at 13. Fellow sophomore Una Stepic collected nine kills with four apiece from freshman Brynlee Huff and sophomore Annika Cantrell. Sophomore Savannah Kirkbride and freshman Alana Asante both recorded two kills with one by sophomore Adisyn Rollins.
Sophomore Lola Hughes and freshman Jaylie Critchfield each delivered 12 assists.
On the serving line, Stepic led with four aces. Huntsman aced two serves with one ace by both Asante and Hughes.
Freshman Olive Osmera defended the backcourt with 16 digs. Stepic recorded 12 digs and Huntsman 11.
Huff and Asante led on defense at the net with three blocks each. Cantrell contributed two blocks with one by both Rollins and Kirkbride.
Northwest
Northwest won the first set, 25-17.
The Lady Lancers fired back to take the second set by seven, 25-18.
EWC never looked back and went on to win the third set, 25-14, before taking the fourth set, 25-18.
Huntsman led again on offense, tallying 13 kills. Stepic slammed nine kills, Cantrell eight and Huff and Asante both seven. Kirkbride rounded the kill tally out with four while Rollins and sophomore Cylie Honstein each contributed one.
Hughes and Stepic both served up three aces. Sophomore Clara Häyhänen served two aces and Asante one.
Osmera started as libero against Northwest and made 20 digs. Huntsman contributed 16 digs and Stepic 15.
Asante defended the net for five blocks. Kirkbride reached up for four blocks, Huff two and Stepic and Huntsman one.
Northeastern JuCo
Northeastern found itself ahead, 23-10, late in the first set.
EWC refused to go down without a fight and went on a 5-1 run. The Lady Plainswomen made two errors from the service line. Cantrell blocked an attempt by Northeastern to score. Stepic served a point for EWC and the Lady Plainswomen hit the ball out returning a hit by Huff.
Northeastern remained ahead by double digits for most of the second set to score game point, 25-12.
A determined effort by the Lady Lancers made the third set considerably closer.
The Lady Plainswomen opened with a 6-2 run before EWC answered back. Blocks by Cantrell and freshman Allison Botters brought the Lady Lancers to within one point of overtaking Northeastern, 7-6.
The Lady Plainswomen responded with a 9-2 run to widen its lead, 16-9. EWC ended the run when Northeastern sent the ball into the net returning a serve from Hughes. Asante tipped over a point and Stepic slammed a kill.
A pair of aces by Asante narrowed Northeastern’s advantage to four, 19-15. Two kills by Huntsman kept EWC within five points of the Lady Plainswomen.
Northeastern ultimately scored game point, 25-17.
Huntsman collected six kills against Northeastern with four from Huff and three each by Stepic and Asante and one from Cantrell.
Hughes passed the ball for 10 assists while Asante served three aces, including two in the third set.
Osmera started as libero again and tallied eight digs. Hughes contributed seven digs and Huntsman six.
Cantrell paced the Lady Lancers defense at the net with five blocks. Botters reached up for two blocks while Kirkbride contributed one.
