The defending national champions, the Red Ravens led virtually from start to finish in 25-15 and 25-14 wins before needing a late surge in a 25-18 third set victory. KCKCC led 6-3 in the third set and it was tied 14-14 before Coffeyville pulled ahead 18-14.
It was the 10th straight win for Coffeyville, which has lost only one set in the 10 matches in a schedule that has included Jayhawk rivals Neosho County, Highland and Cowley, Iowa Central, Ellsworth and Southwestern. Only Lincoln Land has won a set against the Red Ravens. That came in the second match of the season. Since then, Coffeyville has swept eight matches in a row.
The win also snapped a streak of seven straight wins for KCKCC including a 4-0 sweep in the Southeastern Iowa tournament this past weekend.
“We didn’t play very well,” said KCKCC Coach Mary Bruno-Ballou. “Not taking anything away from Coffeyville because they are a great team but we did not execute the way we prepared for game situations like this nor was our energy level where it needs to be.”
The Blue Devils (7-2) now head for the annual Pasco-Hernandez Tournament to be played Friday and Saturday in New Port Richey, Fla.
KCKCC then returns to Jayhawk Conference action next Wednesday, playing at Allen County at 6:30 p.m. and then Johnson County Friday at 6 p.m. Next home match comes against Neosho County Sept. 19 followed by the annual KCKCC Tournament Sept. 21-22.
Three Blue Devils (from left), Katelyn Mask, Kelli Sleefe and Natatlia Vega Aponte, went to the floor in a valiant but vain effort to return a shot in Tuesday’s 3-0 loss to Coffeyville, the defending national champion. (KCKCC Photo by Alan Hoskins)
