FORT SCOTT – The Lady Panthers of Neosho County Community College volleyball got back in the win column on Saturday.
In the Fort Scott Tournament at Fort Scott Community College in a blistering gymnasium with a few blowing fans seemingly failing to do their job, the Lady Panthers swept their competition, winning 3-1 — first game sets were 25-21, 26-24, 25-18 (Southeast), 25-15 — versus both Southeast Community College and Ottawa University.
In the fourth game of the first match of the day Saturday, NCCC volleyball coach Asya Herron said anytime her team is scoring, it's a plus for the Lady Panthers.
"Anytime we are earning points, it's good for our team," Herron said after the fourth game. "We struggle earning points in a row and keeping points in a row. Serving the ball and keeping the ball is something we are focusing in on right now. And playing defense and running the ball in transition; we are really working on that. I thought we did better in the fourth set."
Strategy-wise, more times than not coaches put their players in the best position to succeed, and Herron is no exception.
"Obviously we want to target their best players and put our best blocker (Carlee Noll) in front of them, but for us, it's really about playing clean on our side and taking care of the ball when we have it, not so much what the other team is doing and what they are doing on their side," Herron continued. "We worked well in transition and ultimately won."
While NCCC had lost their last two matches in the Fort Scott Tournament on Friday, middle blocker Noll said it is her job to goad her teammates into focusing in on the task at hand.
"I mostly try to encourage them, and keep them up," Noll said. "I try to do my job as best I could with trying to get a touch on the longer block as much as possible. I just try to keep the team positive as much as I could."
Task-wise, Noll said she doesn't play for stats, though she said she does her best in all aspects of volleyball.
"I just try to find my hitter on the other side of the net, and just try to stick with her so I can block her," Noll commented.
NCCC (11-9) will next play Cowley College 6:30 pm Wednesday at home.
