Hiltz picks up career win No. 100; Broncbusters roll Barton

Garden City, KS-When Patrick Hiltz was hired in 2019, the Broncbuster volleyball program was in shambles. They were coming off an 0-31 season that was engulfed in NJCAA sanctions. Now three years later, Hiltz has Garden City as perennial contenders in arguably one of the toughest conferences in the country. 

Fiona Arnold totaled 20 kills, Kate Perryman added 10 and three blocks, and the Broncbusters beat Barton in four sets 25-20, 25-19, 11-25, 25-14 Monday night at Conestoga Arena. It was Hiltz's 100th career victory and 50th as the lead man for the Broncbusters as Garden City finished the regular season at 20-11 and 8-8 in the Jayhawk. 

"It's so cool to be a part of the Garden City family," Hiltz said afterwards. "And it's really cool to get No. 100 right here."

Garden City closed the season with back-to-back wins and finished 12-3 on their home floor. It's their most victories in a single season in nearly two decades, which should earn Hiltz some Coach of the Year consideration. 

"I think we are hitting our stride at the right time,' Hiltz added. "I like how we look going into the playoffs."

48 hours after a dominating win over No. 20 Hutchinson, the Broncbusters kept it rolling. They scored 11 of the first 15 points of the match, and when Tola Maczka pushed a ball over the net that hit the floor, Garden City had a seven-point advantage. They pushed it to eight after Arnold dropped in an ace. Perryman followed with a powerful kill down the middle, Emmah Sultz set up Arnold, who blasted a ball just inside the back line, and the Broncbusters took the opening frame. 

"I really like where our mindset is right now," Hiltz stated. "Barton is a dangerous team, and they have had an up and down season dealing with injuries and some other stuff. But they have enough talent to make a run, and we knew we had to be ready."

There was no slowdown in the second. Apolline Lepuissant tallied back-to-back kills, Jelena Milovanovic added a straight-line attack, and the Broncbusters were up, 11-6. Moments later it was Lepuissant again, landing a swing just inside the back-right corner. Arnold recorded an ace, and Perryman and Arnold combined for a set-clinching block, putting the home team up, 2-0. 

"I don't think this was our best match by any stretch," Hiltz said. "It was professionally boring. We just have to do a better job of playing a complete game."

After dropping the third set, Garden City responded in a big way in the fourth. Milovanovic's kill coupled with a Lepuissant ace gave the Broncbusters a 13-5 lead. Perryman then followed up with a kill, Brandt thumped one down the middle, and Arnold went crosscourt, giving the Broncbusters just their second win over Barton in program history. 

Milovanovic tallied 10 kills for Garden City, and Maczka had 25 assists.