STEVE CARPENTER
HutchCC Sports Information
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Community College volleyball team received a spark from freshman Sophie Connor off the bench, but couldn’t sustain the momentum on Wednesday night as Barton won the first two sets and ultimately downed the Blue Dragons in four sets on Sophomore Night.
The Blue Dragons hit .089 for the match and lost 17-25, 21-25, 25-21, 19-25 in the regular-season finale.
Hutchinson closed the regular season with a 19-15 record and will finish sixth in the Jayhawk West standings with a 7-9 league mark. Barton improved to 23-10 overall and 13-3 in the Jayhawk West. Pairings for the Region VI Tournament will be released last this weekend. The Blue Dragons don’t know an opponent, but will be on the road for the opening round.
Before the match, the Blue Dragons honors their four sophomores – Kristina Head, Shelby Reeder, Zoe Schmidt and Tauja Durham.
After dropping the first two sets – behind out-hit by Barton .231-.001 – Connor came off the bench and gave the Blue Dragons an immediate boost. She had two kills in a 5-0 run that turned around a two-point deficit into an 18-15 lead in the third set. Connor had six kills in the third set and powered the Dragons to a 25-21 set win. Hutchins hit .233 in the set.
The Dragons couldn’t sustain their momentum, though, hitting just .091 in the fourth set. The Blue Dragons led 14-11 after a Connor kill, but the Cougars answered with a 6-0 run and scored on 13 of the final 18 rallies to close out the match.
Connor finished with nine kills on .094 hitting with six digs in her two sets played.
Freshman Blondie Penaflor led the Blue Dragons with 12 kills on .318 hitting. Head had nine kills on .111 hitting. Freshman Aubreigh Haxton hit .231 and had a season-high six kills.
The Blue Dragons had another stellar defensive game on Wednesday with five players registering double-figure digs. Head had 13 digs to lead the Dragons. Libero Rachel Easom and freshman Morgan Harvey had 11 digs each, while Schmidt and setter Andrea Serrano had 10 digs each.
Freshman setter McKinley Johnson had 21 assists with six digs. Serrano had her sixth double-double of the season with 19 assists and 10 digs.
Barton out-blocked the Blue Dragons 10-4. Head had three blocks to lead the Dragons.
Tasiah Nunnery had 15 kills on .233 hitting to lead the Cougars, who hit .185 as a team.