For the first time since the 2017 season, the Dodge City Community College volleyball team has double-digit wins after picking up a pair of non-conference wins over North Platte and Trinidad State at home.
Conquistadors opened the day with a five-set battle against North Platte and came away with the tough win 25-20, 22-25, 25-17, 22-25, 18-16 and capped the day with a four-set victory over Trinidad State 25-13, 25-23, 23-25, 25-13. The wins improved the Conqs to 11-4 on the season giving the program the most wins since 2017.
Won 3-2 vs North Platte
It was a tight battle from start to finish for the Conqs against the Knights of North Platte as the match would need five sets to decide the winner.
The first set was back-and-forth until the Conqs went up 20-19 and would finish off the first set on a 5-1 run to take control of the matchup. Set two was again back-and-forth with both teams holding leads but a 7-0 run in the middle of the set by North Platte would be enough for the Knights to take the second set 25-22 over the Conqs. Dodge City responded in the third as they took control midway through the set and took it 25-17. In the fourth set, the Conqs made a big push for a comeback but North Platte held off the Conqs taking the fourth set 25-22 to force a fifth set. In the fifth set, the teams traded points until North Platte had multiple tries at match point but the Conqs fend it off twice and ultimately earned match point and took the match with an 18-16 fifth set.
In the win, Hillary English set a new career-high in kills with 24 and did it on a .431 hitting percentage, while also finishing with a double-double as she recorded 17 digs. Ozge Tan registered her sixth double-figure kill performance with 10 kills and added six digs. Defensively Bruna Torres notched 22 digs while adding eight assists and three aces, while AntiaVallecas Rodriguez had 17 digs and nine kills in the match. Nur Yaren Turkmenolgu continued her strong season with 39 assists, 12 digs, four kills, and three aces.
Won 3-1 vs Trinidad State
The Conqs capped the day with a four-set win over Trinidad State in a match that featured a pair of tight sets and a pair of one-sided sets in favor of the Conqs.
Conqs opened the match up doubling up the Trojans of Trinidad State in the first set at 12-6 and ballooned the lead to double figures on the way to cruising to the 25-13 first set win. Set two say the Conqs fall behind early and trail Trinidad State the entirety of the set until the end fending offset point multiple times to come back and win the set 27-25. Set three was similar to the second set with Trinidad State leading the set the whole time but the difference was the Trojans winning the set 25-23. The Conqs made no doubt about the match in the fourth set as they opened the set on a 4-1 run and grew the lead to double figures on the way to taking the set 25-13 to win the match.
A double-double by Antia Vallecas Rodriguez led the way for the Conqs as she finished with 11 kills and 11 digs, while Ozge Tan added 11 kills and six digs. Martyna Kmuk had double-figure kills with 10, while Bruna Torres finished with 24 digs. Nur Yaren Turkmenoglu again filled the stat sheet with 43 assists, five aces, four kills, two digs, a solo block, and a block assist.
It's back to conference play for the Conqs when they continue their season on Wednesday, October 6th in a road contest at 6:00 pm against #7 Butler.
