Comets split road matches against Kansas teams

The Cottey College Comets split a pair of volleyball matches over the weekend. On Friday, the Comets were swept in three by Independence (Kansas) Community College 22-30, 20-30, and 23-30. On Monday, Cottey got their revenge on another Kansas squad as they defeated the Fort Scott Community College Greyhounds in three 30-22, 30-26, and 30-20.

"The first and third games were neck and neck until around the 15-20 point mark," said head coach Marla Kannady Foreman of the Independence match. "That is when they gained momentum, and we would fall back."

The Comets showed marked improvement in their serve receive, which has been a bit of an Achilles heel for them off and on this season. However, the Independence home crowd seemed to get under the skin of the Cottey team.

"Not to make excuses for my players, but they were not used to the environment in which they were playing on Friday," said Foreman. "Their crowd was very intense at times, and would throw out comments just to throw my players off."

Despite that, the Comets never gave up even when the home team made a several point run to pull into the lead. Almost every time the Lady Pirates would jump out to a five to seven point lead, the Comets would dig in and pull back within a point or even take the lead on occasion. It was only at the end of the games that Cottey couldn't respond.

On Monday, though, the Comets got to take out their frustrations on the Lady Greyhounds of Fort Scott, a team they had swept earlier in the season on Cottey's home court. The Comets were taking nothing for granted, as Fort Scott plays a tough competitive schedule.

The Lady Greyhounds hung close to the Comets in game one, much longer than Cottey would have liked. The Comets used a different game setup, and around the 20-point mark they were able to exert their game plan against the home team.

Not to be outdone, the Fort Scott coach threw a new lineup at Cottey in the second game. The new lineup featured a predominately freshman group and initially it gave the Comets a bit of a scare.

"Being the coach on the other side of the net, I could tell a definite difference in the intensity and positive atmosphere from game one to game two on Fort Scott's side," said Foreman. "I will admit that made me a little nervous at the first of game two. Her young players were definitely trying to earn a starting position in that second game."

Fortunately, Cottey's freshmen had been playing together as a team longer than Fort Scott's freshmen, and the on-court experience proved to be the deciding factor against a pretty decent lineup from Fort Scott.

Game three was anticlimactic as the Comets broke ahead early around the 10-point mark and never let the Lady Greyhounds challenge again.

Statistical leaders for the Comets were as follows. Against Independence, Jesse Jargowsky had three aces, 16 assists and 17 digs; Lauren Jenkins had 10 kills; and Anna Cruse added five blocks.

Against Fort Scott, Jenkins had seven aces and 18 digs, Jargowsky had 20 assists, Jenkins and Tara Cooper tied with 10 kills, and Cruse and Lindsey Monceret each had four blocks.

On the season, Jenkins is currently ranked first in the nation in blocks per game in Division II by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Teammates Jargowsky and Michelle Schulte are ranked 15 and 17 respectively in aces per game.

The split left the Comets with a record of 8-5 on the year.

Cottey has an extensive home stand beginning with a match on Friday, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m., against Ozark Christian College. On Saturday, Oct. 6, the Comets take the home floor against Stephens College at 2 p.m. On Tuesday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. they will face the Region's top team, Longview Community College.

All matches are held inside the friendly confines of Hinkhouse Center Gymnasium.