The North Platte Community College Lady Knights Volleyball team will travel to Overland Park, Kan., to participate in the Johnson County Community College Invite on September 25-26. All four opponents are ranked in the Top 20 in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Volleyball poll.
In the first match of the tournament, the Lady Knights will face the host Johnson County Community College Lady Cavaliers at 3 pm on Friday. The Lady Cavaliers are third in the nation with a 16-1 record. They are 18th in the nation in kills with 740, but lead the nation in kills per set at 13.7. Individually Maren Mair leads the Lady Cavaliers with 154 kills. Jordan Morrison and Bizzy Chilcoat have 141 and 132 kills respectively. Mair also leads the team with 45 total blocks. Defensively, the Lady Cavaliers are led by Tori Kerr with 241 digs.
In the second match on Friday, the Lady Knights will face the eighth rated Des Moines Area Community College Lady Bears at 5 pm. The Lady Bears are 13-1 and rated sixth in the nation in kills per set at 12.43. Taylor Case leads the Lady Bears with 164 kills. Tatum Mills has 77 total blocks and Jordyn Rittman has 196 defensive digs to pace the Lady Bears in those categories.
On Saturday, matches don’t get any easier when they face the number one team in the nation, the Parkland College Lady Cobras at 9 am. The Lady Cobras are 26-0. They lead the nation in kills with 1053 kills paced by Laura Gross with 211. The Lady Cobras have three other players who have over 100 kills: Lizzie Barnard has 181, Miaya Peacock has 172 and Sofi Kelemete has 130 kills. Kelemete also has 13 total blocks. Madison Harpest has 260 defensive digs.
The final match of the tournament for the Lady Knights will be against the 11th ranked Kirkwood Community College Lady Eagles at 11 am on Saturday. The Lady Eagles are 16-6 on the season. They are third in the nation in kills with 987 and fourth in set assists as a team. Erin Wenzel leads the Lady Eagles with 292 kills Jenna Laxton has 305 defensive digs, and Halle Lueck has 804 set assists to lead the Lady Eagles.
The Lady Knights are 7-10 on the season. The Lady Knights are 12th in the nation in service aces led by Aryn Meisinger with 41 and Valerie Most with 35. Most leads the Lady Knights in kills with 162. Other category leaders for the Lady Knights are: Megan Chintala with 269 defensive digs, Samantha Morgan with 48 total blocks, and Shelby Wolever with 263 set assists.
Lady Knights Head Coach Alexa Hopping said. “It is a big weekend for us with tough competition. We are working hard to get better every time we go on the court. We are looking forward to the trip.”