The North Platte Community College Lady Knights swept the Southeast Community College Lady Storm in three sets 25-15, 25-22, 25-17 at McDonald-Belton Gymnasium on Wednesday night.
The match was a National Junior College Athletic Association Region IX Division II contest. The Lady Knights and the Lady Storm are currently tied for the second seed at 1-2. Each team will play Central Community College to determine the final seedings for the Region IX tournament later in the month here in North Platte.
The Lady Storm are 9-14 on the season.
The Lady Knights came out strong and jumped out to a 19-15 lead and scored the last six points to take the set. In the set the Lady Knights had nine kills in 20 attempts for a .350 kill efficiency.
The Lady Knights continued their tough play by leading 13-6. The Lady Storm rallied to cut the lead to two 23-21 before closing out the second set.
In the third set the Lady Knights started out leading Southeast 10-4 and increased their lead 19-9. The Lady Storm tried to mount a comeback but the Lady Knights were able to take the third set for the sweep.
The Lady Knights had a .247 kill efficiency in the match and had a 2.16 passing rating.
Valerie Most paced the Lady Knights in kills with 10 and had a kill efficiency of .207. MaKenna Ketter was next in kills with eight and a .259 kill efficiency. Most also had 20 defensive digs to lead the Lady Knights. Samantha Morgan and Josie Palme each had six stuff blocks and Shelby Wolever had 25 set assists.
The Lady Knights improve to 10-15 on the season and will travel to Columbus this weekend to participate in the Jimmy Johns tournament. They will face some tough competition. On Friday at 11 am they open the tournament against sixth ranked Cowley Community College and then face Kansas City (Kan.) Community College at 1 pm. On Saturday, the Lady Knights face the 13th ranked Bismarck (N.D.) State College at 11 am and finishes off the tournament against Highland (Kan.) Community College at 3 pm.