Lady Tigers knock off fourth-ranked Kirkwood, go 2-0 at Johnson County Tri-Match

Facing its stiffest competition of the season to date, the top-ranked Cowley College volleyball team rallied from a two sets to one deficit to defeat fourth-ranked Kirkwood Community College (IA) 23-25, 25-19, 20-25, 26-24, 15-6 Friday in Overland Park. The Lady Tigers wrapped up play at the Johnson County Tri-Match with a 25-13, 27-25, 25-17 over Northeast Community College.

The Lady Tigers are now 12-0 overall and 4-0 in the Jayhawk Conference.

On Friday, Cowley had its back against the wall in the match against Kirkwood as they trailed two sets to one and 21-17 in the fourth set before rallying to force a fifth set with a 26-24 win.

With all the momentum after the win of set four, the Lady Tigers flew past the Eagles 15-6 in the fifth and final set.

"Kirkwood played well, but we also made a lot of errors to keep them in the game," Cowley head coach Steven Gream said.

In the Kirkwood match, Cowley had three players record a double-double. Sophomore Sara Puskas recorded her first career double-double with 15 kills and 12 digs as she surpassed 500 kills in her career at Cowley; freshman Hanna Darvas registered her second double-double with a season-high 53 assists and 19 digs; and sophomore Laura Bonomi (17 kills, 22 digs) registered her fifth double-double of the season.

Sophomores Lu Ceroni and Valarie Luna added 11 and seven kills, respectively.

"Kirkwood had to respect Lu and Val, which allowed us to make runs in the games we won," Gream said.

In the win over Northeast, freshman Josci Buckley led Cowley with 14 kills. Bonomi added her sixth double-double, finishing with 13 kills and 14 digs, and freshman Ashlynn Jaccard finished with four kills and a team-high three service aces.

"Our team battled a little fatigue and the emotional roller coaster of the Kirkwood match, but I thought our players did really well against Northeast," Gream said. "Ashlynn came in and had some big moments for us."

Cowley will return home to face Seminole State College on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. before hosting four talented teams at the Cowley Invitational on Friday and Saturday inside W.S. Scott Auditorium.

"It will be another tough week," Gream said. "We will have to battle each match because these teams will push us."