Lady T-Birds swept by Lady Wranglers

EDUARDO MIRANDA  NEWS-SUN
October 10 2019

NMJC's Kristine Teivane hits from the back row against Odessa College in WJCAC play.

Caster Activity Center was the site for a battle between No. 2 and No. 3 volleyball teams in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference. The No. 2 Odessa College visited the New Mexico Junior College with both teams fighting to keep pace with leader New Mexico Military Institute. The Lady T-Birds put up a valiant effort but were swept in their arena 25-21, 25-20, 27-25.

With the loss the Lady T-Birds fall to 13-14 overall, and 3-3 in the WJCAC. NMJC was in the midst of a four-game winning streak including victories over conference opponents. The Lady T-Birds were hit with injuries coming into the game, forcing them to use an eight-player rotation against the Lady Wranglers.

"I thought we came together as a team and played phenomenally," NMJC head coach Alexandra LeHocky said. "I'm upset that we lost however I'm very proud that this team showed character and worked their butts off tonight."

The Lady Wranglers were quick, in both rows on defense, and importantly players were diving and recovering to get into position to make a play on the ball. LeHocky praised Odessa College for its strong defense and added Odessa needed to control their side before they can force a defense to make change.

In the first set loss, the Lady T-Birds committed seven unforced errors, with three being called for players touching the net. NMJC showed strong hitting and good defensive play but it was not as consistent as Odessa. The set saw five ties, four by NMJC and one by Odessa College, before the Lady Wranglers took control at 19-18. The Lady T-Birds only scored two points before losing the set, a kill from Andrea Spasojevic and an unforced error on the Lady Wranglers for being out of rotation.

The second set saw the Lady T-Birds lose a 13-7 lead before falling two sets to none. It was a tough set for NMJC libero Ta'Nya Gibson, who was hit in the face twice, a collision with a teammate and hit from an Odessa player's kill. She briefly left the court, but returned for the rest of the game. The Lady Wranglers took momentum and tied the set at 18-18, before winning.

"Our libero did go down and that kind of pulled me from the game mentally trying to think of a different lineup," she said. "It kind of pulled her teammates out of the game, trying to think what coach is going to do. I will take the blame for the second set, as we held the lead but Odessa went on a few little runs that affected us."

In the final set both teams traded hits with neither able to gain the upper hand until Odessa College went ahead 14-12. The Lady T-Birds continued to fight forcing the game into a back and forth affair until taking a 21-19 lead. NMJC showed its quickness to get to balls and make the extra effort on the defensive end. Kendra McRuffin, Trevino, and Teivane made blocks at

the net to get points, momentum, and the crowd back into the game. McRuffin and Spasojevic finished kills and Kennedy McRuffin had an ace with a net assist in the run.

Odessa College responded by tying the game at 23-23. Both teams went back and forth before Odessa ended up with the win. The Lady T-Birds had an unforced error on a miscommunication between three players allowing the ball to drop and an ace from Odessa College won the set and game.

LeHocky was glad to have such a vocal crowd support the team, even if it came close to costing them a point.

"I feel this gives us a lot of momentum and confidence," she said. "I know that we lost in three however I told them in the locker room, post game, that this is the best all-around play I have seen of the team. We are peaking at the right time in the season, yes we lost, however I feel we can build off the team I saw."

NMJC returns to the court Saturday when they visit Midland College at 2 p.m.