Lady Coyotes bouncing back strong in national tourney

The Weatherford College Lady Coyotes, after dropping their opening match in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I Volleyball Championships, have bounced back with two victories.

In the tournament opener on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at Austin Peay University in Clarksville, Tennessee, Weatherford College (31-8) stumbled with a 3-1 loss to Utah State Eastern College. They followed with back-to-back three-set sweeps of Eastern Wyoming College on Nov. 21 and Trinity Valley Community College, from Athens, Texas on Nov. 22.

The Lady Coyotes now await their next opponent. The double-elimination tournament concludes Sunday with the crowning of this season's national champion.

This is Weatherford's second consecutive season to advance to the NJCAA Division I Championships. WC has only had a volleyball program three years.

NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championships

Nov. 20-23 at Austin Peay University in Clarksville, Tennessee

Weatherford College results

First round

WC 3, Utah State Eastern 1

Weatherford College 20  19  25  22

Utah State Eastern 25  25  17  25

WC leaders

Kills: Gabriella Maldonado 14, Abigail Morris 10, Abby Hellman 10.

Blocks: Presleigh Roest 4, Hellman 3.

Aces: Victoria Sanchez 2.

Digs: Kiana Souza 21, Weronika Urbanska 9, Sanchez 8.

Assists: Sanchez 24, Lorena Gomez 18.

Second round

WC 3, Eastern Wyoming 0

Weatherford College 25  28  25

Eastern Wyoming 23  26  18

Kills: Hellman 9, Roest 8, Morris 7.

Blocks: Harmony Soles 7, Maldonado 5, Roest 4.

Aces: Roest 2.

Digs: Souza 16, Urbanska 11, Morris 10.

Assists: Gomez 19, Sanchez 13.

Third round

WC 3, Trinity Valley 0

Trinity Valley CC 21  23  17

Weatherford College 25  25  25

Kills: Urbanska 16, Hellman 11, Maldonado 9.

Blocks: Roest 3.

Digs: Morris 14, Souza 13, Gomez 7.

Assists: Gomez 25, Sanchez 15.