The RPAC Championships took place at the Graff Events Center on the campus of McCook Community College. Two great matches were played on Tuesday evening starting with the consolation match between the West #6 seed Hitchcock County and the East #2 seed Cambridge. The Trojans were able to sweep the Falcons, 3-0. In the championship match, it was the West #1 seed Maywood-Hayes Center, and the East #1 seed Southwest. The Roughriders took the match, 3-1, and clinched their second straight RPAC volleyball title.
Let's begin with the consolation match with Hitchcock County and Cambridge.
The Trojans jumped out to the lead early in set one, 7-3, and continued to extend their lead. After some passing and attack errors from both squads, the Falcons were able to close the gap a little as they pulled within one, 16-15. Cambridge went on a little run to extend their lead, 21-17, forcing Hitchcock County to use a timeout at 23-17. Cambridge went on to take the set, 25-20.
It was similar to the first in set two as the teams exchanged hitting and passing errors. Hitchcock County led early in this set, 7-6, and they continued their run until the score read 17-11. Erin Johnson took the service line and closed the set at the line as the Trojans went on a 14-0 run. They won the set, 25-17.
Cambridge struck first in set three as they took the 2-1 lead. The Falcons hung around and evened the set at 6-6 and took the lead 7-6. The Falcons had the lead at 15-8 but the Trojans caught fire and took the lead at 20-13 and forced Hitchcock County to use a timeout at 23-14. Cambridge took the third set, 25-15, to sweep the Falcons, 3-0.
Unofficially for Hitchcock County, the team had three aces and four blocks. Madysen Carlson had a team-high nine kills and Asia Homma added seven kills.
Unofficially for Cambridge, they had seven aces as a team and five blocks. Erin Johnson had a team-high 18 kills, Brooklyn Holtze had 10 kills, and Joslyn Holtze had eight kills.
Cambridge is now 20-9 and finished 3rd place in the RPAC volleyball tournament while Hitchcock County is now 15-17 and finished 4th place in the RPAC tournament.
Check out our highlights from the consolation match brought to you by Prairie Girl Candle Company.
Now for the championship match with Maywood-Hayes Center and Southwest.
Southwest jumped out early in set one as they took the 3-0 lead but the Wolves evened the set up at 3-3 and eventually took the 6-5 lead over the Roughriders. It went back and forth between the two squads and Southwest eventually took the lead at 12-11 but it was short-lived as MHC took the lead back at 14-13 and held on to it until 19-18 when Southwest regained control. MHC was forced to use their final timeout when they trailed 22-19. Southwest took set one, 25-22.
Southwest jumped out in front again in set two, 6-1, and forced the Wolves to use a timeout at 9-3. MHC responded out of the timeout forcing Southwest to use a timeout when the Wolves pulled within one, 11-10, after a huge momentum swing. The two exchanged points and the lead until MHC took the 19-15 lead to force the Roughriders to use another timeout. Maywood-Hayes Center went on to take the second set, 25-20, and even the match, 1-1.
In the third set, Southwest struck first again as they jumped out to the 5-1 lead. MHC took a timeout early when they trailed 9-5. The Roughriders kept their lead but the Wolves were hanging tough and had to use their last timeout trailing 18-13. MHC responded well and pulled within one point forcing Southwest to call a timeout at 19-18. The Wolves evened the match at 22-22 and took the lead at 23-22 forcing a Roughrider timeout. Southwest went on to win the third set, 26-24, and take the 2-1 lead.
In the fourth set, MHC struck first, 1-0, but Southwest quickly responded to take the lead and extend it to 6-1 and the Wolves used their first timeout. Southwest extended their lead but again, Maywood-Hayes Center clawed their way back into the set as they forced Southwest to use a timeout when they pulled within two, 17-15. Southwest went on a mini-run out of that timeout and forced MHC to use their final timeout trailing, 19-15. Southwest went on to win the fourth set, 25-18, and the match, 3-1.
Unofficially for Maywood-Hayes Center, as a team, they had nine blocks. Caylie Softley had 12 kills, Karissa Stengel had 10 kills, Kassidy Hatfield had nine kills, and Blayklee Farr had five kills.
For Southwest, Aspen Billeter had 48 assists and 12 digs, Kyra Nelms had 23 kills, four digs, and four blocks, Anikka Nelms had 12 kills, three digs, and three blocks, Atleigh Nelms had 14 kills, 20 digs, two blocks, and two aces, Payton Truksa had four kills, one block, 13 digs, and three aces, and Allison VanPelt had 23 digs.
Southwest set a new school record of 30 wins as they improved to 30-0 and are back-to-back RPAC volleyball champions. Maywood-Hayes Center is now 22-7 and are the RPAC volleyball runners-up.
We caught up with Atleigh Nelms after their win, check out that interview!
Check out our highlights from the championship game brought to you by Prairie Girl Candle Company.
