McPherson, Kan. – The Central Christian College volleyball team nearly pulled off the biggest upset in program history. Hosting crosstown rival McPherson College at the Jerry E. Alexander Arena, the Tigers went toe to toe with a Bulldog team that has been to the NAIA national tournament three of the last four seasons.
The Bulldogs came into the match extremely confident, but the Tigers weren't going to roll over, especially on their home court. They did the unthinkable, and came out and punched the Bulldogs in the nose, taking the opening set 25-23. They kept rolling in the second set, and the Bulldogs kept reeling. The Tigers routed the Bulldogs in set two, 25-22.
Early in the pivotal third set, the two teams traded points, but midway through the frame, the Bulldogs went on a run, and opened up small lead. The Tigers tried to rally, late in the set, but their efforts came a little short, and the Bulldogs took the set 25-19. The win in set three gave the Bulldogs new life, and they raced to a decisive win in set four, 25-12 to force a fifth and deciding set.
In the final set, the Tigers scored the first point of the set, but then the Bulldogs went on a 7-0 run to seize the momentum. The Tigers were unable to recover, and the visitors ended up taking the set 15-3, to win the match 3-2.
Individually, there were multiple Tigers who performed exceptionally, but freshman Kamryn Vanatta an incredible night. She finished with 12 kills, 23 digs, and two blocks.
Key Statistic
The relentless Tiger defense was the key to pushing the Bulldogs to the brink on Tuesday evening. They finished with 86 digs forcing the Bulldogs to take 189 swings.
By the Numbers
The Tigers had a better attack percentage than the Bulldogs, hitting .205 with 45 kills on 151 swings, with 14 errors. The Bulldogs on the other hand hit .201 with 65 kills on 189 attempts with 27 errors.
The Tigers assisted on 41 of their 45 kills, and recorded 6 service aces.
At the net, the Tigers notched five blocks.
Tiger Leaders
Kills: Amanda Dotter, Kamryn Vanatta (12)
Digs: Kamryn Vanatta (23)
Assists: McKenzee Cook (35)
Aces: Katirya Vergara (2)
Blocks: Ashanti Sampsell (3)
Coach Quote
"Good atmosphere for the match tonight. I love the cross-town rivalry feel and the energy that comes with it. I felt like our team played well in the first two sets and had opportunities to win but I have to give credit to McPherson's team. They played hard, they never quit, and ultimately they won the match. Our team has responded well in these situations so I'm excited to see how we grow from here. Every time we step on the floor it's another learning opportunity for us and I feel like our young kids are getting better every day. I feel like our team is working hard to grow together and compete together. Exciting time to be a Tiger!" – Coach Rick Hughes
Next Up
The loss drops the Tigers to 5-9 overall. They have a quick turn-a-round, taking the court again on Wednesday evening, hosting the Manhattan Christian College Thunder in a 6:00 pm match up.
