The Dawson Community College Volleyball team played some hard fought matches this past week and is really coming together as a team. The Bucs played five games in four days against tough opponents Bismarck State College, Eastern Wyoming College, Western Wyoming College, Casper College and Sheridan College. All five games were hard fought battles.
On Wednesday, September 18th, the Bucs took on Bismarck State College at home and fell short in four sets. After losing the first set 25-13, the Bucs won the next set 25-23; then lost the next two 19-25 and 12-25. Harlee Speth and Shayna Baugh led the team with 15 kills each while Anniekate Burghduff tacked on 8 kills. Nynah Bryant ended with 39 assists and Tawney Stanton ended the game with 3 aces. Kinzee Koch had 14 digs with Speth also contributing 16.
On Friday, September 20th, the Bucs faced Eastern Wyoming College at the WyoBraska tournament in Torrington WY and Scottsbluff NE. The Bucs came up short in a tight match with set scores of 20-25, 19-25, and 17-25. Team leaders for this game were Baugh with 7 kills and 1 block. Speth tallied on 5 kills and 6 digs. Bryant finished with 19 assists, Anniekate Burghduff finished with 3 digs while Koch contributed 6. After that match on the same day, the Bucs took on Western Wyoming and lost a hard fought match against this tough team with scores of 23-25, 18-25, and 11-25. The team ended the match with 22 kills, 43 digs and 3 aces.
The last day of the tournament had the Bucs facing Casper College in the first game of the morning. The Lady Bucs won this match in five sets. The first set could have gone to either team, with the Bucs just coming up short 27-25. In the second set, the Bucs fought back and won 25-17, but lost the next set 18-25. They bounced back in the fifth set with a whopping score of 15-6. Anniekate Burghduff was the leader in kills with 14 followed right behind by Speth with 12 and Baugh with 10. Bryant tallied 32 assists while also contributing 4 digs. Speth led the back row with 26 digs and Burghduff was close behind with 20.
The last game of the tournament for the Bucs was a real nail biter. The Bucs won in 5 against Division I opponent Sheridan College. After losing the first set 23-25, the Bucs came back and won the second 25-18; then lost the third in a hard fought battle 25-21. The Bucs returned with a vengeance and won 25-12 in the fourth, forcing a fifth and final set where the Bucs won 15-8. In this intense match, Baugh and Speth led the team with 21 kills each. Bryant finished with 52 assists and Speth and Burghduff ended with 2 aces. Baugh also continued her dominance with her blocking, ending the game with 3 blocks. Koch finished with 29 digs followed by Burghduff with 22 and Speth with 20.
Interim head coach Channa Clarin said, “Although I have only been with these girls for a short amount of time, we have a strong bond and I really enjoy spending time with them. I am so happy with how this week has gone. I am extremely proud of these ladies and they have worked very hard. The games we played this past weekend have really been a good learning experience and we are excited for more.”
The Bucs face off against conference opponent Williston State College on September 24th in Williston,ND. The next day they will face another conference opponent, Dakota College at Bottineau in Bottineau. Both road games are at 7:00 pm CST.