Tag: KCKCC volleyball

Adriana Velez named KJCCC setter of week as Blue Devils post second straight upset win

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Kansas City Kansas Community College freshman Kelcey Hund is the NJCAA Division II National Defensive Player of the Week.

And sophomore Adriana Velez is the KJCCC (Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference) Setter of the Week – both selections coming on the heels of the Blue Devils second upset of national-ranked foes in three days.

On Saturday, KCKCC (9-7) stunned No. 7 Highland in three sets 3-0 and followed up Monday with an identical 3-0 win at No. 18 Neosho County in Chanute.

“We played excellent volleyball, knocking off two ranked teams in two matches,” KCKCC coach Mary Bruno-Ballou said. “We are peaking at the right time; I’m really proud of this group and their attitudes and work ethic.”

The Blue Devils are home for two matches Thursday, facing Cowley College at 4 p.m. and Metropolitan Community College at 8 p.m. Cowley and Metro will square off at 6 p.m.

A libero from Leavenworth, Hund averaged more than six digs per set and passed a cumulative 2.6 in three matches last week. Hund had a whopping 27 digs in the 3-0 upset of Highland and 13 more in Monday’s win over Neosho and currently ranks No. 12 nationally.

In addition to being National Player of the Week, Hund is also the KJCCC Defensive Player of the Week. She is also the second Blue Devil to earn national honors. Sophomore Cassidy Crist was named NJCAA DII Offensive Player of the Week the first week of the season.

“Our starting libero since day one, Kelcey is a great team player,” Bruno-Ballou said. “Selfless, she’s one of the hardest workers in our gym; does all the little things right; uses her voice well; and has stepped in as a leader in the back row. She’s had a great season so far and is getting the national attention she deserves. The greatest kid, we love her and are so very proud of her and her work ethic.”

A native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Velez leads the nation in NJCAA Division II in assists with 634, 30 more than the runnerup. She had 40 assists against Highland and 32 against Neosho.

In three matches last week, Velez had 139 assists including 45 in a 3-1 loss to No. 4 Johnson County in a match decided by a total of nine points in four sets and then followed up with an incredible 54 assists in a five-set heartbreaking loss to Allen County.

“Adriana is such a key element in our offense,” Bruno-Ballou said. “She runs a 5-1 offense for our team and does an excellent job – always consistent with a drive to make her successful and a winner.”

Led by Cassidy Crist, KCKCC avenged an earlier 3-1 loss at the hands of No. 18 Neosho. Ranked No. 3 in the nation in kills with 287, Crist had 18 of the Blue Devils’ 36 kills in the 25-23, 25-22, 25-16 blanking.

Michelle Dvorak added seven and Mia Tomasic five. Tomasic also had 10 digs and Crist eight to go along with Hund’s 15 and Velez’ 27 saves.

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Kansas City Kansas Community College got an early wakeup call Saturday. Trailing No. 7 Highland 15-7 in the first set, the Blue Devils responded with their biggest comeback in recent seasons for a stunning 3-0 sweep of their long-time arch rivals.

“It’s so easy to roll over when you get that far down but this group of athletes does not know how not to compete,” said a jubilant KCKCC coach Mary Bruno-Ballou. “One of our best performances, for sure. That’s the most we’ve been down this year.” The loss was only the second in nine matches for Highland.

Led by sophomore Michelle Dvorak, the Blue Devils bounced back from the 15-7 deficit with an 18-7 run to close out a 25-22 win and then followed with 25-21 and 25-22 wins.

Dvorak had five of her nine kills in the match in the first set. Bruno-Ballou said the 15-7 deficit was a result of self-inflicted wounds.

“Of Highland’s first 15 points, 12 were the result of our unforced errors. Otherwise, we were playing well,” she said.

Cassidy Crist powered the Blue Devils to their clinching third set win with nine of her 16 kills. “And Kelcey Hund and Nicole Almestica played fantastic defense,” Bruno-Ballou said.

The Blue Devils came into the match off two narrow losses earlier in the week. No. 4 Johnson County had to come from behind for a 3-1 win on Tuesday and Allen County did likewise in eking out a five-set win on Thursday.

Allen County won two sets that went right down to the wire in a match that had 122 kills and 227 digs. The Blue Devils jumped in front 25-21 but Allen held on for a 25-23 second set victory and then broke three late ties for a 26-24 third set win. The Blue Devils evened the match 25-20 only to have the Red Devils win the final set 15-11.

“It was not a pretty loss,” Bruno-Ballou said. “We had 25 hitting errors and 19 service errors, basically two full sets of things we can control.”

Crist had 20 kills, Dvorak 16 and Trinity Holland 12 while Adriana Velez had 54 assists and 22 digs. Hund led with 30 digs while Crist added 20, Almestica 16 and Mia Tomasic 14.

The Highland win boosted the Blue Devils to 8-7 heading into a Jayhawk Conference match at Neosho County Monday at 6:30 p.m. The Blue Devils then return home for a triangular Thursday with KCKCC playing Cowley College at 4 p.m. and Metropolitan at 8 p.m.

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Kansas City Kansas Community College couldn’t upset No. 4 ranked Johnson County but the Blue Devils gave a whale of an effort in a 3-1 loss in Overland Park Tuesday.

The Cavaliers eked out a 25-23 first set win before the Blue Devils evened the match with a 25-22. JCCC went back ahead with a 25-20 and then closed out the match with another down-to-the-wire 25-23 decision.

KCKCC’s Cassidy Crist led all players with 21 kills while Mia Tomasic added 12 and Michelle Dvorak 9. Adriana Velez led both teams in assists with 45 and was one of five Blue Devils with five or more digs. Crist had 17 and Kelcey Hund 16 to lead the way while Nicole Almestica and Tomasic added 13 and Velez 9.

Velez ranks second in the NJCAA Division II in assists while Crist is fourth in the number of kills and fifth in kills per set.

The Blue Devils are back home Saturday morning at 11 a.m. against No. 7-ranked Highland.