Sweep of Barton keeps Trojans in first
Sets up showdown with No. 4 Seward
A win over Barton Community College Monday night at the Community Building helped the Colby Community College volleyball team remain tied for first place in the Jayhawk Conference. The Trojans beat a gritty Cougars squad 25-21, 25-21, and 25-23.
Colby improves to 13-1 on the season and 6-0 in the KJCCC, setting up a Wednesday night showdown with No. 4 Seward County (12-2, 6-0) in Liberal. Barton drops to 9-6 and 2-2 in the conference.
The Cougars, who held leads in each set, went up 16-11 in the opening set before Macarena Ruiz had a right-side kill that began a five-point Trojans run to pull even. Colby climbed out of the hole for good and took a 20-19 lead they did not relinquish.
Colby trailed 4-1 early in the second set before a Claire Choloux kill sparked a Trojans push that eventually put them up 9-6. Barton regrouped, and the game remained within two points until Karleeann Ramos put down a cross-court kill to widen Colby's margin to 23-20 before securing the win.
Barton held leads of 11-7 and 21-18 in the third set, but a persistent defensive effort allowed Colby to recover late. With the contest tied at 23, Ramos hammered back-to-back kills to complete the sweep.
Ramos posted her second consecutive double-double with 14 kills and 10 digs, while Kyndal Bacon added 32 assists. Defensively, Elaine Thibadeau led the Trojans with 17 digs and Milica Djukic had two blocks.
Barton's Migle Mazurkeviciute posted a double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs.
After the Trojans play Seward Wednesday, they return to the Colby Community Building for a 2 p.m. start with Garden City.