For second straight night, Garden ousts Dodge in five

Garden City, KS-Twice is definitely nice. 

Jelena Milovanovic posted a double-double with 16 kills and 14 digs, Tola Maczka added 40 assists, and Garden City toppled rival Dodge City for a second straight night in five sets, 18-25, 25-18, 26-24, 16-25, 15-8. The Broncbusters improved to 15-9 overall and 5-5 in conference, moving within a half game of Cloud County for fourth place in the conference standings. 

"Playing 10 sets in two nights is taxing physically and mentally, no matter who you're playing," Head Coach, Patrick Hiltz said. "When it's against your rivals, it is very tough to stay focused throughout."

Trinity Valley transfer, Pinar Dugeroglu was sensational, recording 15 kills for Garden City, which avenged last year's playoff loss to Dodge City in a big-time way. Vitoria Stedile had 27 digs and six assists.  

As expected, the Broncbusters, who played a five-set marathon less than 24 hours earlier, seemed a bit slow. After Garden City erased an early four-point deficit to take a 15-13 lead, Dodge City responded with a 9-0 run and never looked back.  

"I really like how the girls responded," Hiltz said.  

Garden City rebounded nicely in the second. Milovanovic recorded three straight aces, Dugeroglu blocked a Dodge City attack, and the Broncbusters were up 7-3. They never trailed after that, building the lead to as many as six before Dugeroglu pounded home a kill for set point.  

"I thought our defense carried us once again," Hiltz added. "With Jelena coming back, we have been trying to find rhythm within our offense. And while it's not quite there yet, there are certainly signs of things coming back together on offense." 

The Broncbusters led for most of the third set. They raced out to a 9-4 advantage and then broke a 15-15 tie with Apolline Lepuissant's kill. After the teams exchanged haymakers, Dugeroglu put Garden City on top for good before Milovanovic closed the frame with another service ace.  

"Really credit both teams because they both played their butts off both nights and put on one heck of a show for the people that came out to watch," Hiltz said.  

But for the second straight match, the Broncbusters faltered in the fourth. Dodge City broke open a 4-4 game with a 13-5 surge that put them up by eight. They pushed it to 10 following a Dugeroglu attack error, and then forced their way into a fifth set following Beatriz Cornachini's kill. 

"Luckily, we were able to bounce back from a rough fourth set again tonight and played very well in the fifth to take the match," Hiltz stated.

The Broncbusters dominated that fifth set. After consecutive Dodge City miscues, Dugeroglu went crosscourt. That was followed by a Julia Brazil kill and a Milovanovic spike that put Garden City up by three. Milovanovic then tallied a pair of service aces, the last of which clinched the Broncbusters second straight victory that went the distance. 

Brazil finished with 14 digs and 13 kills for Garden City. Maczka had 13 digs, and Lepuissant added four blocks.