Oct 19, 2021

Dragons drop 4 setter at Dodge City

Posted Oct 19, 2021 10:29 AM

STEVE CARPENTER

HutchCC Sports Information

DODGE CITY – Despite 13 team blocks, the Hutchinson Community College volleyball team suffered a tough four-set Jayhawk West loss on Monday night at Dodge City.

The Blue Dragons won the opening set over Dodge City, but the Conquistador block and strong serve turned things around as Hutchinson lost 25-20, 20-25, 19-25, 25-23.

Hutchinson suffered a tough blow to its chances of playing host to a Region VI Tournament opening-round match with the loss. The Blue Dragons slip to 17-13 overall and 6-7 in the Jayhawk West. The Dragons are tied with Dodge City for fifth, but the Conquistadors swept the season series with Hutchinson for the first time since 2010 and own the head-to-head tiebreaker.

The Blue Dragons had six team blocks in the opening set and got three kills each from Kristina Head and Blondie Penaflor to win the opening set 25-20.

After that, the Dragons continually had service reception errors and Dodge City stepped up its game defensively. The Conquistadors had 12 blocks and six service aces in the final three sets. Dodge had 14 team blocks for the match.

Sophomore Zoe Schmidt had a career-high nine blocks to lead Hutchinson at the end. Schmidt and freshman Aubreigh Haxtun had a double block to close out the first set. Dodge City immediately turned the tables on Hutchinson with a 13-2 run to open the second set. The Dragons scored on 8 of the final 12 rallies to make it close, but lost 25-20 to even the match.

Dodge City opened a 12-7 lead in the third set and Hutchinson couldn’t close the gap in dropping the third set.

Trailing 16-12 in the fourth, the Blue Dragons overcame a controversial replay on a point that would have given them the lead. Despite momentarily losing that point, the Dragons put together a 10-2 run to lead 22-18 on a Schmidt/Penaflor double block. Dodge City responded after a timeout to pull within 23-21. Sophie Connor had a kill for a two-point Dragon lead, but Dodge City scored the final four points of the match to stun Hutchinson.

Connor finished with 12 kills and six digs. Head and Penaflor had seven kills each.

Penaflor had five blocks and Haxtun added four blocks for Hutchinson’s 13-block performance.

Andrea Serrano had 22 assists. McKinley Johnson had 17 assists and three aces.

Shelby Reeder tallies 16 digs.

The Blue Dragons play host to No. 4 Butler on Wednesday for Dig Pink Night for Cancer Awareness. Match time at the Sports Arena is 6 p.m.