Sports roundup: Volleyball team experiences great finish at home tournament

A frustrating Friday turned into a sensational Saturday for the Hutchinson Community College volleyball team.

Hutchinson finished the day in spectacular fashion, rallying from a set down to defeat No. 10 Indian Hills 18-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-21, 15-10 . It’s the second time this season the Blue Dragons rallied from down a set to win a five-set match. Hutch is 2-1 in five-setters this season.

Freshman Katelyn Elstun pounded down 20 kills to lead the Blue Dragons, and she also had her fourth double-double of the season with 20 kills and 11 digs. Freshman Camila Espejo had 11 kills, including five in the fifth set. She had a double-double as well, with 11 kills and 15 digs. Lainey Robertson posted her first career double-double with 11 kills and 15 digs. She hit .250 on 32 attacks.

Freshman Thorne also had a big match with 13 kills on .300 hitting, while sophomore setter Eboni Sapien finished with 27 assists. Freshman setter Alissa Bautista had a season-best 27 digs. For Indian Hills, three different players had 14 kills each.

It was a win, espcially after suffering defeat to the Butler Grizzlies, 25-21, 25-23, and 25-22 on Monday.

Soccer – The women’s soccer team has now won six consecutive games, as of Saturday, at the Salthawk Sports Complex when the Blue Dragons defeated Pratt 5-0.

Their overall record is now 7-1 and they are tied with Cloud County for first place in the Jayhawk West (5-0).

Sophomore midfielder Naomi Waithira scored two goals. Additionally, she had three assists to add to her career assist list, which is now 24.

The first half was not as active as the second. The only goal scored in the first half was by freshman forward Charvelle Henry. However, four more goals were achieved throughout the second half.

Freshman forward Samantha Vaughn‘s 13th goal of the season was assisted by Waithira for a 2-0 lead with 37:02 remaining in the second half.

Freshman midfield Marah Franke also scored. Henry and Waithira were both credited with assists for the goal and Hutch led 5-0.

Franke and Henry both had a goal and an assist.

Blue Dragon freshman goalkeeper Chiara Soergel made one save, which was from a free kick.

Golf – The golf team is currently ranked No. 4 in the Bushnell/Golfweek NJCAA Rankings.

The Blue Dragons were the top-finishing NJCAA team in the field when they competed in Lubbock, Texas. The Blue Dragons finished ahead of its District 3 rival Indian Hills, Iowa by one stroke.

Defending national champion Central Alabama is No 1 in the poll, Midland is No. 2, followed by New Mexico Junior College, Hutchinson, and Indian Hills. Other Region V1/District 3 teams in this week’s rankings are Iowa Western at No. 8, and Garden City at No. 18.

The Blue Dragons next compete in the Missouri Southern Fall Invitational at Shangr-La Golf club in Monkey Island, Oklahoma.

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 [Office1]Put the winning team’s score first in all five sets. So if Hutch won but lost the first set, it would be recorded as 18-25.

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