Garden City can't hold the lead; falls to McCook

By Mike Pilosof

Photo by Adam Shrimplin

Garden City, KS-The Broncbusters continue to make progress. But their inability to finish cost them again on Thursday night.

Garden City controlled most of the first two sets only and made a big comeback in the third. But McCook closed them out in four (27-29, 22-25, 25-22 and 11-25).

"It's the same old story," Head Coach Patrick Hiltz said. "We play well in stretches, but commit errors at the worst times."

The Broncbusters looked sharp to begin the match. Katie McHugh sent an emphatic spike over the net to put Garden City up 8-5 in the opening frame. They extended that lead to 13-7 on the back of Tameia Davis's block and kill that forced McCook Head Coach Hayley Kobza to call a timeout.

"We came out with a lot of energy in that first set," Hiltz said. "We played really hard."

Despite McCook making a late surge, Garden City held a 23-20 advantage following Katarina Vojvodic's cross-court kill. But the Indians responded with three straight points, and then took a 24-23 lead on Fernanda Canedo's kill. The teams exchanged jabs over the next few minutes before a Garden City error gave McCook a two-point win.

"I think we've proved that or system works," Hiltz said. "That should give us confidence going into tomorrow night."

Garden City came out strong again in the second, building an early 9-5 edge following Vojvodic's block. But again, McCook answered the bell with five straight points. Later in the frame, the Indians used a quick 3-0 spurt to take a 19-16 edge. Madison Mendoza kept the pressure on, sending a diagonal kill passed a diving Alexandra Jackson. Once the Broncbusters pulled to within one, 22-21 thanks to a service ace by Summer Nerkowski, Sheridan Rodriguez's block attempt went out of bounds. Brown followed with a line drive that Nerkowski couldn't get to, and the Indians had a 2-0 advantage.

"We made mental errors at crucial times tonight," Hiltz said.

Garden City fought through plenty of adversity in the third, falling behind by as many as seven points. But they responded with a 9-4 run to tie the set at 21. Moments later, Meosho Erving powered ball down the middle of the McCook defense, giving the Broncbusters their first lead of the stanza, 23-22. Erving added a set-clinching kill afterwards, keeping Garden City alive.

But the fourth set was Garden City's undoing. It didn't take long for the Indians to go on the attack, and suddenly Hiltz's squad was staring at a 10-2 deficit. That lead hit double digits when McCook's Jayceea Hanson blocked a spike attempt at the net to make it 17-7. The Indians coasted from there.

"I think we gave up on that fourth set, and that's unacceptable," Hiltz said. "Other than that, I like what I saw."

Vojvodic led the way for Garden City with 17 kills, and Katie McHugh chipped in 33 assists.

The Broncbusters have a quick turnaround. They're back home on Friday night hosting Independence. Match time is set for 6:30 p.m.