By ALAN HOSKINS
KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- For the first time in Kansas City Kansas Community College volleyball history, the Lady Blue Devils will be hosting an NJCAA district championship with the winner advancing to the Division II national tournament.
The No. 8 ranked Blue Devils wrapped up Jayhawk Conference and division play Wednesday with a quick three-set win over Independence that gave KCKCC (9-1) sole possession of second place behind No. 7 Cowley College (10-0). Fort Scott (8-2) finished third with No. 13 Johnson County (7-3) finishing fourth after a narrow 3-2 loss to Cowley Wednesday.
KCKCC’s second place finish means the Blue Devils will host the four-team District N championship Saturday, Nov. 8. The No. 2 seed with an overall record of 26-9, KCKCC will open against No. 7 Labette (11-17) at noon with No. 3 Fort Scott (30-8) facing No. 6 Hesston (20-7) in the second match at 2 p.m.
The two winners will then collide at 4 p.m. with the winner advancing to the National Championship to be played at Phoenix College in Phoenix, Ariz. Nov. 20-22.
KCKCC swept Labette 3-0 at Parsons Oct. 15 but had one of its toughest home tests of the season against Fort Scott, coming from behind in three of four sets for a 3-1 wins. KCKCC’s only conference loss of the season came 3-2 at Cowley Oct. 1, the Lady Tigers taking the final set 19-17. At the time, it was the 36th straight conference win for Cowley and the 65th win in a row at home.
As the No. 1 seed, Cowley (24-11) will host No. 8 Neosho County (15-19) in the District M playoffs Nov. 8 with No. 4 Johnson County (21-11) facing No. 5 Coffeyville (25-11).
Nine Blue Devil sophomores were honored after KCKCC’s 25-15, 25-13, 25-19 win over Independence Wednesday – co-captains Blair Russell and Lily Thornberg, Andrea Aparicio, Kailee Dudley, Peyton Pender, Jasdel Gonzalez, Junelie Irizarry, Lily Cullers and Carlyn Walsh.
The Blue Devils will close out regular season play Tuesday, Nov. 4, when they host Longview in a unique doubleheader. The match will begin at 6 p.m. with the KCKCC women’s basketball season to open it home season against Missouri Valley JV at 8 p.m.
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PHOTO: Jubilant KCKCC volleyball sophomores (from left) Lily Cullers, Carlyn Walsh, Blair Russell, Peyton Pender, Andrea Aparicio, Junelie Irizarry, Kailee Dudley, Lily Thornberg and Jasdel Gonzalez celebrated wrapping up KCKCC’s first home playoffs with a 3-0 win over Independence Wednesday. (KCKCC Photo by Alan Hoskins)
