Key win for Mac spikers

by STEVE SELL, Sentinel Sports Editor

McPherson College's volleyball team scored its most impressive victory of the season here Monday night when it knocked off upper-division KCAC team Southwestern in four games.

The Bulldogs routed the Moundbuilders 30-15 in the first game, only to see Southwestern even the match with a 30-21 victory. But Mac didn't fold, pulling off 30-28 and 30-25 victories to improve to 2-6 in the KCAC, 4-11 overall. The Bulldogs are back home tonight for a non-conference dual with Haskell.

"In the first game, we came out strong and did a great job of communicating and covering our hitters," Mac coach Nathalea Stephenson said. "We passed the ball off of serve receive much better tonight and were getting Terra (Simoneau) the ball so that she could put it in the setters' hands. She did a good job of mixing up the patterns we were running, and the hitters did a great job of putting the ball down."

Stephenson said the key was the third game, as Mac led 28-25, only to see the Moundbuilders tie the game at 28. But Mac won the next two points, which turned the tide.

"The girls really stayed focused and were able to push through and get the win," Stephenson said.

Simoneau was immense, coming up with 41 assists and was 26 of 28 serving with 4 aces. She also had 5 assisted blocks. Other leaders were Erica Alvarez (16 kill attacks, 5 tip kills, 3 assisted blocks), Lisa Salazar (14 kills, 4 tip kills, 24 of 24 serving, 1 ace), Andrea Gonzales (6 kills, 20 of 21 serving, 2 aces) and Alyssa Rumple (4 kills, 4 tip kills, 5 assisted blocks).