No. 20 Central sweeps Spartans

Southwestern lost its second league match at home Wednesday, this time to 20th-ranked Central Community College of Columbus, Nebraska.

The Raiders prevailed by scores of 25-17, 25-16, 25-16 to improve to 1-1 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference and 5-3 overall. Southwestern fell to 1-7 and 0-2, but coach Brianna Maitlen saw glimpses of performance that would compete in league play.

For example, the Spartans were still tied 12-12 in the first set before being outscored 13-5 down the stretch.

And, in set two, Southwestern bolted ahead 8-4 before the Raiders went on an 11-2 run to take a 15-10 lead. The Spartans never seriously challenged the rest of the 25-16 set.

When Cadence Perkins quick set for a thundering kill by Addison Martin to pull Southwestern within three in set three, 10-7, the crowd erupted in support of a comeback. But the Raiders took advantage of several Spartan attacks that sailed long for errors, and extended the margin from three to 14 points by the end of the set.

Maitlen said it’s a matter of finding the leaders in both the front and back rows that can keep the team playing at a high level more consistently than just a few spurts in each set.

“We were really doing well at times, but then we were almost like a roller coaster, like bi-polar,” Maitlen said. “We just can’t play when we’re low. It’s our serve receive. Once they get two or three on us, we are just dead. But when we are high, we are doing great things — digging, blocking, hitting great balls. We have middles that can put it away and score, but it’s hard when we’re not in system. I need that go-to person that wants to pick up everything in the back row, and that go-to hitter who says when we’re in a rut, pass it to me. I want it.”

The Spartans compete in the Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College Tournament Friday and Saturday. Among the opponents are host Coffeyville, St. Louis Community College and Independence Community College. The Spartans play next at home on Sept. 11 against Marshalltown Community College.