Bearcats fall to the EGF Greenwave
By Coach Tina Turn
KCC 1 – EGF 3
It was a cold and rainy Thursday, Sept. 4 when the Bearcats took to the road for the second time in a week. This time they headed south out of the county to take on the East Grand Forks Greenwave.
Unfortunately, for the Bearcats, things didn’t heat up for them in the gym until well into the match. The slow start made it very hard for the Bearcats to climb out of the hole they had dug.
In set one, the Bearcats had struggles of all kinds, but they were perpetuated by a lack of communication and energy. In the previous two matches, the players had these qualities in abundance, so this was a new challenge to work through. Senior Kaydence White provided almost all the offense in the set. She had 9 kills. Junior Halle Hansen added 1 as well, but 11 hitting errors deeply contributed to the 18-25 first set loss.
Set two was marginally better with 9 hitting errors. White swung for 7 kills, but she did have some helpers at the net. Afton Lindgren and Hanna Warnke each scored with a kill, while Nadia Neumiller and Gracie Vig each knocked in a pair. Camryn Whitlock and Warnke joined forces for 1 of the few blocks on the night. That helped turn the tide for a bit, but it wasn’t enough as the Cats fell 23-25.
The Bearcats showed grit in set three. With only 5 unforced errors in the match, KCC played with a lot more fire and focus. White hit double-digit kills with 11 in the third. Hansen had 3 of her own to aid in the run. Warnke added 2 and Whitlock recorded a single. Impressive defense also gave the team a boost. White stuffed one EGF player while Warnke and Hansen teamed up for a second block of the set. KCC pushed the match to a fourth set with a 25-15 win, and it seemed like the team was recovering from their slow play in the first two sets.
Looking for a reverse sweep, the Bearcats worked hard to push the game into a fifth set. They almost made it happen. KCC held a lead most of the set, but one tough Greenwave server hit our passers hard and we floundered. EGF took the lead in that run, and we edged our way back in to tie the game at 23, but untimely errors on the last two possessions handed the Wave the game 25-23. Four players provided some offense in the fourth set, with White leading the way with 7 kills.
We appreciate the opportunity to play AA teams and tough competition. East Grand Forks perennially has a solid program, and we look forward to good matches with them. While there were some long rallies and finer moments showcased in this match, the Bearcats didn’t play as tough as they’d like to play. KCC showed moments of strength; we’ll continue to build on those and focus even more on where we need to tighten things up. It is exciting news that there will be a re-match this Saturday, Sept. 13 at the Ada tournament as EGF and KCC are in the same pool. I guarantee the Bearcats will be looking to avenge this loss.
Hadley Nordin, KCC Bearcat Senior, gets under the ball during the Bearcats’ match versus the EGF Greenwave. Nordin had 4 digs during the match and served 2/2.
(Photo courtesy of KC Media Arts)
GRACIE VIG and Hanna Warnke go up for the block during the Bearcats’ loss to the East Grand Forks Greenwave. The Bearcats played the Greenwave in EGF on Thursday, Sept. 4. (Photo courtesy of KC Media Arts)
