No. 17 Casper sweeps MCC volleyball out of tourney

STERLING, Colo. – The McCook Community College volleyball season came to an end Thursday with a 3-0 sweep by No. 17 Casper College. The Thunderbirds won 25-17, 25-15 and 25-19, improve to 25-12 and to advance in the Friday consolation round of the Region IX Division 1 tournament.

With back-to-back losses in the double-elimination tournament, MCC closes out the season at 22-13.

Western Wyoming takes on Central Wyoming in the other elimination match Thursday, while four teams are still battling for the Northwest Plains A title and an automatic bid to the national tournament. Those teams include Western Wyoming and Trinidad State who will play at 5 p.m. today with the other semifinal pitting Laramie County against Northeastern JC.

This was the final match for seven sophomores: Emerie Rios (Sterling, Colo.), Jordan Duzenack (Loveland, Colo.), Gracen Tuttle (Ogallala), Jessie Jerome (Rawlins, Wyo.), Gabby Caskey (Ogallala), Greta Bolognini (Bergamo, Italy) and Fernanda Merancio (Lamar, Colo.).

Bolognini had nine digs in the final match Thursday. Jerome was credited with 10 assists, four assist blocks and four kills.

Merancio led the attack with eight kills and one assist block. Caskey had five kills, four assist blocks and one ace. Tuttle had one assist and one solo block.

Freshman Romina Martinez (Cochabamba, Bolivia) was credited with six kills and one assist block. April Conilogue (freshman, Longmont, Colo.) had three kills and three assist blocks. Freshman Rowan Tribelhorn (Yuma, Colo.) had two assist blocks.

Freshman Kayten Hagan (Amherst H.S.) had 10 assists and one ace. Caylin Barnett (freshman, Southwest H.S.) had seven digs.

Up-to-date information about MCC volleyball including schedules, statistics, rosters and photos can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com.