by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
It’s the frying pan into the fire for Kansas City Kansas Community College volleyball team when the No. 3 ranked Lady Blue Devils finally open their home season Wednesday night.
Their unbeaten winning streak ended in the Pasco Hernando State Tournament in Port Richey, Fla., over the weekend, the Lady Blue Devils (11-1) host No. 16 ranked and perennial Jayhawk Conference power Cowley College at 6:30 p.m.
The 2011 national champion, Cowley has been in the national tournament the last 11 years in a row. Since the national title, the Lady Tigers were second in the nation in 2012, third in 2013 and 2014 and sixth last season. As a special feature, the first 25 students to arrive with student ID’s will be treated to free pizza by the Blue Devil volleyball team.
KCKCC closed out a run of 12 straight road matches in the Pasco Hernando tournament where they Blue Devils took three of four matches.
Their only loss came in the second of two matches on Friday when the Blue Devils fell to the host team, No. 17 Pasco Hernando, 25-22, 25-19, 25-19.
“Pasco Hernando played very well against us and I didn’t feel we played to the level we’re capable of playing,” said KCKCC coach Mary Bruno. “Overall, however, I felt we got solid performances from everyone – a good weekend.”
The Blue Devils started with a 3-0 blanking of Cape Fear Community College, winning 25-19, 25-19, 26-24 on Friday. On Saturday, KCKCC defeated South Florida State College 25-20, 25-23, 27-25 and Colorado Northwestern 25-17, 25-20, 22-25, 25-19.