Nicole Rockhold and Andrea Miller are outnumbered on the Allen County Community College volleyball team. They are the only sophomores on the squad.
“But you can’t tell we have that many freshmen playing for us,” said Miller, after the Red Devils won a Jayhawk Eastern Division match against visiting Independence Community College Wednesday.
“We’ve really started to come together as a team.”
The Red Devils were at home last Wednesday also, but did not play well and lost to Highland. Then they played in a tournament at Hesston over the weekend.
“The tournament helped us. We picked up the intensity and hit a peak. We want to stay at that level of play,” said Rockhold.
Allen County defeated Independence 25-14, 25-23, 26-28, 25-12 Wednesday. Miller and Rockhold led the way but the freshmen were right there too.
Nicole Reed served up 15 points in the match including two aces. Karlee Bobbitt served the first four points, including an ace, to open the match. She ended up with six service points.
Freshman setters Bobbitt, Erika Mack and Casey Droddy had double-digit assist marks. Mack was credited with 27 while Bobbitt had 13 and Droddy had 12.
After a convincing first set, the Red Devils had to rally from a 13-6 deficit in the second set. They tied it at 18-18 and Rockhold served three consecutive points.
Rockhold, who delivered 21 kills on the night, had a kill for the winning point. Allen County survived 25-23.
The Red Devils opened the third set well as Droddy served three points. Rockhold had two kills and Leesha Plagens had a solo block.
Allen County seemed to be cruising to a straight, three-set win. Not so fast, said the Lady Pirates.
Independence worked back to tie the match then it was back-and-forth. Allen County was serving up 24-23 but Independence got the defensive point.
Allen County had the serve at 26-26 but lost it. Independence served the winning point for the set.
“We lost our energy and our passes weren’t getting to target,” Miller said about the third set.
“We relaxed and sat back on our heels. We were playing it safe instead of being aggressive. Coach lit a fire under us after that set,” Rockhold said.
In the fourth set, Allen County was up 7-5 on a defensive tip by Makhala Giardina. Morgan Scott went to the service line and had three straight points, including an ace.
The Red Devils continued to build on their lead. Up 20-11, Miller served three points. Plagens and Giardina played well at the net for points.
Scott served for set and match point. When the ball came back over the net, the Red Devils set it up for Rockhold, who pounded down the kill.
“We’re clicking so well off and on the court right now. We’re the definition of team because we like being together,” Rockhold said.
The victory moved the Red Devils to 2-4 in conference play and 10-11 overall. They broke a three match losing skid in Jayhawk Conference action.
Allen County goes to Ottawa University Saturday.
Rockhold finished with five service points, one ace and one assists. Plus she had 19 digs and two block assists. Miller had 13 service points, three aces and eight digs. At the net, Miller delivered 10 kills and a block assist.
Droddy served seven points and two ace serves. Allison Jenicke produced 14 kills, had 13 digs and served three points and had an ace.
Mack had one point on an ace and eight digs. Reed and Mack each had two kills. Giardina had seven kills.
Plagens had one kill, one solo block and one assisted block. Reed made 14 dig and Scott had seven digs.
Red Devils out work Lady Pirates
