Cloud County tops Garden City in three sets

By Mike Pilosof

Photo by Adam Shrimplin

Concordia, KS-Kenzie Cooper had 11 kills, Kylie Fuller posted 17 assists, and Cloud County topped Garden City in three sets 24-26, 14-25, 16-25 Monday night at Arley Bryant Gymnasium. The loss dropped the Broncbusters to 8-19 overall and 1-9 in conference, moving them a full game back of Pratt for the final playoff spot in the Jayhawk West with six games to play.

The first set told the entire story. The Broncbusters, which trailed by three early on following an attack error by Giorgia Cappelletti, responded with an 8-1 surge to take a 15-11 advantage. After the Thunderbirds grabbed the lead back at 21-20 thanks to a Lakyn Tenbrink kill, Garden City answered again. Remi Vargas setup Rachel Panzer for a kill, the Thunderbirds committed consecutive errors, and Vargas found a soft spot in the middle of the Cloud County defense for a 24-22 lead. But the home team fought off two set points, Vargas and Vanja Stefanovic recorded back-to-back miscues, and Cloud County scored four straight points to close the frame.

It was all Cloud County from there.

The Thunderbirds scored seven of the final nine points to finish off the second set, then used a 10-6 run in the third to open a five-point cushion. Tenbrink added a kill, Natasha Dooley dropped in a service ace, and Tenbrink and Camryn Wessel combined to block a McKenna Jagels' attack to end the match.

Vargas paced the Broncbusters with 22 assists, Cappelletti had seven kills, and Maria Carrusca recorded 16 digs.

Next up: Garden City vs. Cloud County-Wednesday, Oct. 13 6:30 p.m.