In fine form: Garden City takes down No. 20 Hutch

Garden City, KS-There have been a lot of firsts this year for Broncbuster volleyball. Patrick Hiltz's team added another one on Saturday night. 

Jelena Milovanovic led the way with 13 kills, Tola Maczka had three aces, and Garden City knocked off No. 20 Hutchinson in four sets, 26-24, 24-26, 25-22, 25-20 at Conestoga Arena. The win, which was just the second for the Broncbusters over the Blue Dragons in the past 21 years, improved Hiltz's squad to 19-11 overall and 7-8 in conference play. 

And this one could have easily been won in three, that's how good the Broncbusters were on Saturday. 

After trailing by as many as six in the first set, Garden City made their move. Milovanovic's spike and a ferocious Kate Perryman kill had the Broncbusters within four. Maczka then followed with an attack, Fiona Arnold converted a powerful swing into points, and Milovanovic added another kill to bring Garden City to within two, 24-22. Following a Blue Dragon timeout, Maczka dropped in back-to-back spikes, Emmah Sultz passed to Perryman, who rattled the gym with a kill down the middle, and the Broncbusters took the opening frame. 

In the second, Garden City jumped out to an 8-1 advantage only to see Hutchinson answer with a 16-9 run to even things up. The set was still tied moments later when when it appeared Taniya Golden's attack hit the tape of the net, which would have given the Broncbusters set point. However, the officials overturned the call, Perryman's attack sailed wide, and the match was even, 1-1. 

The Broncbusters though rebounded in the third. Hiltz's team scored the first five points, led by as many as seven, and closed things out with a kill from Apolline Lepuissant, who returned after missing the past week with an injury, and an ace from Sultz to push the Blue Dragons to the brink. 

Garden City then left no doubt in the fourth. 

The Broncbusters never trailed, sprinting out to a 15-8 advantage following Milovanovic's kill. Perryman rose up for a spike, Arnold pounded one down crosscourt, and Lepuissant finished things off with a line-drive ace, giving Hiltz's his second career victory over Hutchinson. 

Maczka finished with 26 assists for Garden City, which can still earn a home playoff game with a win Monday night over Barton and a pair of losses by Dodge City, which still travels to Colby on Wednesday and to Barton on Saturday. Arnold added 12 kills.