Lady Tigers achieve win number 30, advance to district title game
Opening post-season play, the second-seeded Cowley College women’s volleyball team defeated sixth-seeded Allen Community College 25-19, 25-13, 25-18 in the First Round of the Plains District B Volleyball Tournament played on Wednesday inside W.S. Scott Auditorium.
Cowley (30-4) picks up win number 30 on the season, while Allen finishes its season with a record of 18-13. The Lady Tigers advance to host third-seeded Johnson County on Sunday at 3 p.m.
"Volleyball is a serve and pass game, and we won the serve and pass game, which allowed us to run our offense," Cowley head coach Steven Gream said.
After winning the first set 25-19, Cowley found its groove in set two, racing out to a commanding 12-3 lead on the way to the 25-13 win.
"Our serve-receive and defense were really taking a toll on them in that second set," Gream said.
With set three tied at 9-9, Cowley scored four straight points to gain control en route to the 25-18 victory.
Sophomore Josci Buckley had a career night, finishing with 23 kills and a .600 hitting percentage.
"I am looking forward to her carrying that over to the match with Johnson on Sunday," Gream said.
Freshman Teo Cekan added 11 kills, while Lana Gomilanovic (10 kills, 13 digs) and Hanna Darvas (42 assists, 15 digs) recorded double-doubles.
"It was a total team effort with everybody contributing to the win," Gream said.
In a rematch of last season's national championship match, Cowley will host third-seeded Johnson County (23-7) on Sunday at 3 p.m. with an automatic berth to the national tournament on the line.
"This is a rivalry game and they have gotten a lot better since we played them earlier this season," Gream said. "We need to be sure to make Johnson earn their points."